MULTI-MEDIA I N S T A L L A T I O N S
INSTALLATION STATEMENT
My work is a multi media interactive installation. The way it works is, I explore communities all over the country and research an influential representative of a specific community who had impact on that community, but never got their due. They've faded from the collective memory.
The first step is, I paint a large scale portrait of the selected person on found wood harvested from that community. I then build a large plexiglass case to accommodate the portrait. I fill the plexiglass case with seawater that will dissolve the portrait over a lengthy period of time and become like driftwood. Attached to the plexiglass case is a small glass box filled with a scent representative of the subject which could be anything from juicy fruit gum, to musty books, tobacco, or old leather from a motorcycle jacket. Also attached to the plexiglass case is an iPod filled with music and recorded conversation that becomes the soundtrack to the subject’s life.
As in real life our visual memories of even the most important people from our past fade, my portraits also disappear. We are left with only the scents and sounds which serve as powerful memory triggers to remind us of that person’s existence and influence.
There are so many influential people from our past whether it’s a grade school teacher, a long term relationship or even a short, yet moving conversation with someone in passing on the F train for example, that fades over time. As we go though our everyday lives we may randomly come across scents that trigger memories such chalk from grade school that reminds us of that third grade teacher who inspired us or a classic song that brings back memories of an old friend we haven’t thought of in ages. They may have disappeared from our present consciousness, but had some meaningful influence on us nevertheless.
Working in a Psychiatric hospital compelled me to give something back in a hopefully meaningful way. There are so many untold stories to be told and my objective is to give them exposure through my public art installations. My contribution through my art is to recognize the unrecognized and pay homage to the disappeared. What concerns me is that as we live through a celebrity culture the truly important people disappear from view and my art attempts rectifies that issue.
MVVO AD ART SHOW AT SOTHEBY'S NYC
The innovative Maria Van Vlodrop, has created dynamic group art show. The first took place in the legendary Sotheby's with an incredible opening and the second and third took place on the 2000 plus digital LinkNYC displays all over Manhattan as well as on the digital displays in the Santiago Calatrava designed Oculus at the World Trade Center. The first of it's kind.
Title: John Trudell In The Redwoods
Materials: RedWood. Oil Paint.
Installations X 3
Eat Me: Kenny Shopsin. Oil on Wood, Saltwater, Tootsie Rolls, iPod, Plexiglass
Porn Star. Oil on Wood, Saltwater, Condoms, iPod, Plexiglass
