July 12, 2004
aura test (monument)
I gave a little talk at a conference here last week about the privileging of absence in recent memorials - here's an image of the Oklahoma City bombing memorial, which seems to have influenced many of the WTC memorial proposals.
Aura detection?
Posted by kevin at July 12, 2004 09:25 AMyes, yes kevin i am detecting major aura here. i love the photos and the sound pieces as well. i am reminded of a number of artists whose names escape me at the moment- paintings/drawings of empty theaters, ampitheaters, etc. and photographs of architectural spaces marked by a progression in function and era.
i think you are driving home a very good definition and direction with this question of space/absence/presence for the aura. i see this show as a venue for presenting these empty/filled spaces (and related objects) which launch me elsewhere. not in escapism, but reflective hope and appreciation.
a reminder for the viewer to slow down, reach out, and expect something or someone in between getting the mail and taking a dump? i'm reminded of hebrews again- "to have faith is to be sure of things we hope for, to be certain of the things we cannot see." (11:1)
other than the photos i posted, i feel that some of my recent drawings based on arabic calligraphy really connect with the definition of aura that you are proposing- removing the text from calligraphic images and qur'anic manuscripts so that only the decorative "halo" remains. the shapes then become graphic motifs, figurative or simply formal elements. i will post some of the sources and new images as they develop later.
some examples can be seen among the panels that were posted some time back (one name rose, chosen, talismen).
i'm excited to see what you develop with the sound element. can we work spontaneously with this during installation?
Posted by: alan at July 12, 2004 09:43 PM