And Much Much More..

_Witness - evertson©09 - contribution to Postcards from the Edge

_The 12th annual Postcards from the Edge event will preview January 8th at ZieherSmith in NYC. My contribution to this years benefit is based on my work in progress on games. My Hand ᔓtamps that evolved their pictographs, that led to a game, that led to a video and an internal dialogue concerning choice. My work (above), created to benefit Visual AIDS is based on my progression of thoughts on choice or more to the point; artificial choices that are sometimes placed before us. Since 1988 our response to AIDS has progressed, yet there is much more that remains to be done. World wide infection rates continue to rise faster than those receiving treatment. So while leaders in most countries acknowledge the threat and have national policies, many are not implemented or funded. Some countries continue to stigmatize and the resultant discrimination proves a threat to universal treatment access. My message: accept the choice for treatment and cure.

Visual AIDS was one of the first national initiatives to record the impact of the AIDS pandemic on the artistic community. It brought together the arts and AIDS communities through its renowned national projects DAY WITH(OUT) ART, Night Without Light, and The Ribbon Project.

Some thoughts on my videos about choice from 12/3 and 11/25:

_I use the grid as a metaphor for choice. In my art game of Ox and O’s the outcome is not so much the game as the choice of a mark. The original X and O are marks that signify a separation of me from you; my self from your self. We are two unique identities with our purpose being to block another identity from winning. In OX and O’s the purpose lies in examining the relation of the pictographs chosen for game play.

Now – Why I like Jackson Pollock. We love to categorize and separate things into boxes. We love to create these categories and examine things in isolation. I love to think about symbols and their meanings. I liken these symbols to zip files that unbundle into wonderfully complex fully functioning programs. You can examine these in isolation or you could create myths and allegory. You could pick them up and dash them on the grid. Mix them up, drip into each other, overlap; let them create their own mythologies.

Next..

My winning Nightball ball from '06 with assorted zine pages and t-shirt

_I recently sent Christine Tarintino some wood. Actually it was a partially burned croquet ball in response to her request for artists to submit wood for a mail art/performance event to take place at D’Wildwood Studio in Wendell, Massachusetts. Christine will be constructing a sculpture from the submissions, burn the sculpture and mail ashes to the participants.

My contribution to her fire/totem project consisted of a croquet ball I used in the 2006 Nightball Tournament. It already shows plenty of fire damage already and seemed appropriate. Regular visitors here have heard a bit about Nightball but for everyone else: Nightball is a game, loosely based on croquet, originated by myself and a small group of equally creatively challenged friends. The game is played at night, follows croquet rules except cheating is allowed (encouraged actually) with the only additional rule being don’t get caught. Since the game is played at night all sorts of improvised lighting is used with flaming equipment being a sure crowd pleaser. This annual NightBall performance (over 25 years) also produces a variety of spin offs like t-shirts and zines which I used to carefully pad and protect the ball on it’s trip via mail to Christine.

☛ Hands Around the Web: ☚

Since I've been using hands lately in my work serendipity has led me to many other artists doing interesting "hand" work. One very nice blog I've come across is Seth Apter's Altered Page blog. Seth is a NYC based mixed media artist and photographer who produces wonderful handmade books from his images and found object. I was led to one of his latest creations called Handbook and found his use of texture and image extraordinarily compelling. Seth's blog is also a gateway to other book artists and their techniques. The variety of links to other book artist blogs makes Seth's site a treasure for other bookmakers and mail artists. I corresponded a bit with Seth and sent him a couple of my hands in the hope that he'll be able to use them in a future edition of his Handbooks.

Another great use of hands is the public sculpture Flock of Hands by Olga Ziemska which was installed in Yellow Springs Ohio this fall. I saw this first on jafabrits blog (photo by Corrine Bayraktaroglu) and also some more on a post by Virgil Hervey at the Yellow Springs blog. Olga's sculpture involved the residents of Yellow Springs by soliciting volunteers to have their hands cast and later installed atop poles. The result is very intriguing. Without a doubt this town is doing public spaces right thanks to it's vital artist community.

Mail Art Received:

_In my mail from Jennifer Zoellner were two items I haven't posted but are currently on display here in the studio. One of which is a bit of a mystery as I started with an image by Ria Vanden Eynde, added to it and returned it to her. Now I receive a version with additional art from Jennifer??? How this happens is beyond me but it makes for some big smiles.

Two collage works by Jennifer Zoellner

_My new mail art friend Igor Bartolec of Serbia also posted me some work. Collages and photocopier work that I've been admiring for a week or so and am starting to feel a bit guilty that I haven't made a return by now. This weekend maybe.

Collage and Photocopies - Igor Bartolec