Research Notes/Body Project

Sketchbook pages:

I began my research by watching episodes from The Met’s The Artist Project Series and writing down words or phrases that stood out to me.  When I read back over these words or phrases I began to piece together themes that I want to incorporate into my work. “Passage of time,” “humility,” “moment of stillness,” and “holy.”

I was especially interested in the Chinese Buddhist sculptures introduced by Thomas Struth. The amount of expression in the deities or deified beings (like buddhas) was an interesting observation to me. Furthermore, his remark about the stillness of the gallery, and its contemplative nature were things I’ve also felt when being in that gallery.

Examples of Chinese Buddhist sculpture:

 

Contemporary Sources:

Other visual references:

For this project I want to make a second skin, almost a cloak that could be pulled over somebody in obeisance, as if in prayer, thus creating a contemplative space. The texture of the skin would have human like features- rolls of fat, warts, maybe hair.