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We
are constantly in the state of dying and becoming, and for each
passage, we must take time to grieve that which is passing so
that we can receive that which is being born.
The
series of performance and installation wetworks, Skins, began
in 1975 in response to several family deaths and the confrontation
once again of our impermanence and mortality. I wanted to make
work that gave expression to this impermanence and the fragility
of life. The transitions that occur from wet to dry cracked clay
act as a provocative metaphor for time, our connection to the
earth, and personal transformations in our continual state of
becoming.
Watching
the clay "in change", knowing that it will never be
exactly the same, makes us more attentive to the immediate experience
of the live "performance", as music. For me, one of
the gifts of a loved one's death, is to return to life after the
mourning process with a renewed appreciation for the now.
Each
performance is unique, depending on who has agreed to be the courageous
performer. Each performer has his/her own reasons for relating
to the clay "skin". This performance combines the transitory
natures of both live music and wet, themes that have evolved from
collaborating with my musician friend, Marty Simonds. It has been
a great honor and pleasure to work with Marty, whose wonderful
violin performances I have enjoyed and respected for many years.
Our long friendship and many discussions about music, art and
life's ever-changing landscapes, have made for this natural collaboration.
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