Plastering the Subways

In this video I perform my protection situation that I've been working on in the past weeks, using the subway hero story (http://hilllparsons2013.blogspot.com/2013/04/subway-hero.html) as inspiration, at the 14th street and 7th avenue MTA 1,2,3 subway station. 

In the video I can be seen untaping the box, this is because I pre-made the box and loosely held it together using the tape. Then I begin using vaseline to lubricate the plan of the box. I started out using a palette knife, but soon realized that using my hand was faster. By this time, I had accumulated a crowd on the subway platform. A man saw that I was using my hands and gave me a towel, explaining that he didn't need it back because he had accidentally taken it from his place of employment.

Next I began to tape the box closed using duct tape. I struggled to get the tape off the roll due to the vaseline, so the towel came in handy.

Afterwards, I mixed the plaster that I was going to use to cast the box, using a simple 2:1 ratio of plaster and water. 

Then, I stood with the box and crushed it in a motion that is similar to someone protecting an object. This was the most important part of my performance so far, the crushing of the box represented the act of protecting another person. I then began to cast the crumpled box. I poured the plaster in the box and attempted to complete a "slush" cast of the box. (See "Slush" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permanent_mold_casting#Slush) After the plaster was placed and the mess was made, now became the time to wait. Waiting for the plaster to set was representative of the anticipation one feels while protecting another during a hectic situation. The unknown outcome of the protection attempt, and not knowing whether or not everything was going to be okay, not knowing if either person will survive. 

After waiting a time, using the arrivals of the 1 train as a checking timer, I untaped the box again and revealed the unsuccessful cast. The failed attempt represents the sometimes failed attempt of protection, the loss of life, literal or otherwise. The cast could've been successful, and the meaning would have been the opposite. But, the unpredictability of the outcome was a large part of my situation. The outcomes of life are unpredictable. In the case of Mr. Autrey and Mr. Hollopeter the outcome was positive, but in the case of Ki-Suck Han (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/04/ki-suck-han-dead-man-fatally-struck-train-nypd_n_2236791.html)it was fatal.

Progress

Folding box pattern and cutout

Wire Mesh Balls and Boxes

Reaction: Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry

This documentary followed the life of the artist Ai Weiwei from 2008 to 2011. The opening of the film showed Ai Weiwei’s studio, “258 Fake.” The name of the studio caught me off guard, and foreshadowed the views of Weiwei. 

There were over 40 cats at the studio. Weiwei mentions that one of the cats can open doors; and although the other cats watch, they don’t try to open doors. Weiwei also notes how unlike people, cats never close doors behind them. Weiwei’s cat observations made me think deeper about change in China. There may be one person calling for change, while the rest of the population just watches and does nothing. The closing of the door caused me to think about how people are trained. Why do we close doors? Is it because we’ve always been told to do so, while cats on the other hand have no such boundaries?

I was deeply touched by the footage that showed the aftermath of the earthquake that hit Sichuan in 2008. Government school buildings collapsed during the earthquake due to poor construction. Watching mothers crying for their children was absolutely heart wrenching; and to think that the Chinese government refused to release any information about those children was unbelievable. 

Ai Weiwei set out to collect all the names of the lost children, which totaled more than 5,000 found, with the help of volunteers and the families of the dead. An interviewee pointed out that even though the names were found, they had been reduced to small letters and birthdays on many pages in Weiwei’s office. To commemorate the earthquake, Weiwei did several things to keep the memory of the children alive during the film. Reaching out on Twitter, he asked followers to choose a name on the list and say it aloud. Weiwei compiled the recordings and released them to the public. In Munich, Weiwei created a large facade for a museum made of backpacks with a sentence pertaining to the life of a young girl lost in the earthquake. The sentenced moved me. Ai Weiwei interviewed the girl’s mother and the mother stated that her daughter had been happy and full of life for the seven years that she had been alive. To me that sentence showed the innocence of youth. The loss of so many young people was a pure tragedy. 

While trying to testify at a trial for a fellow activist, Weiwei is detained and beaten by police. Weiwei’s crew filmed the entire thing, and it was shocking to watch. Weiwei asked why he was hit, and officers respond that he had done the damage to himself. Weiwei went through all the legal avenues that China allowed to try to sue the police department, but he is ignored and bullied. Weiwei received a notice for the demolish of his new studio, citing illegal placement. Weiwei was even detained in an undisclosed location for 81 days for alleged tax invasion.

Throughout all of this Weiwei remained strong. He pursued change even when it was obvious that no change would come. He believes in a better government for China, and through his art he is fighting to make that happen.

Protection in Progress

More at the Brooklyn Museum