| | 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. |
