Another night of photobooth fun! This time was a little different, as it was my eldest sister’s wedding! I had a few hours the day before the wedding to scout out a location within the reception venue, 632 on Hudson, a converted residence decorated with an astonishing collection of antiques and artifacts from all over the world on the edge of Manhattan’s Meatpacking District.

My favorite photo of the night was Tad, experiencing the booth for the first time before the wedding began.

Because everything in 632 on Hudson is basically a priceless antique, the setup had to be minimally invasive, quick to setup and takedown, and alcohol proof (easy-to-use and protected) which led to this setup.  I didn’t bring any set pieces for the backdrop because the room was beautifully decorated to begin with. The room was also shared with a self-serve bar, which guaranteed traffic, a very important aspect of photobooth setups.

Over 500 photos were taken during this reception. Some photos were pretty, some racy, but always fun and entertaining. View all the images from the night here. I’ve also included a very rough iPhone photo of the setup for those curious.

This physical installation uses human voyeuristic tendancies to examine the relationship between exploring and being explored. By positioning the mannequins “seeing eye” in a place where the voyeurism of the spectator is most concentrated, the traditional relationship between the seer and the seen is comprimised. By then projecting the captured image of the spectator in a removed location the spectators experience is then shared and recognized by all spectators.

The spectator walks into a space and sees a mannequin on two platforms with a short skirt on. He/She approaches the mannequin hesitantly to investigate and get a closer look at her. The spectator’s natural curiosity encourages him/her to take a peak at what is between her legs. They see a camera and know they are being watched. The spectator then walks away, possibly hoping no one saw them. As they continue through the space they encounter a gold frame with a picture and video of them being projected inside. They realize that they have been captured as an image by their own voyeurism.

Please visit the website to learn more.

concept, design, physical installation

To depict and demonstrate the movement of performance art visually. Performance art relies heavily on the audience, so I created rings that demonstrate the visceral movement of Performance Art. Starting in the artist, artistic expression moves out of the mind and body of the artist in a chosen form of sensory. It then becomes a concept that will be absorbed by the audience. I am able to show movement comparable to the actual movement of a performance art piece from artist to audience. The dissection of the word also yields many thoughts:

PER – (for each; for every) Performance art is for all, and we all do it so some degree.
FOR – It can be read “for man”, “for-ce, or “for art.” All the readings emphasize the introspection of man, as a flawed, raw character just trying to understand the world around them, and share what they have gathered along the way.
MAN is written across the chest signifying perhaps the most important and most forgotten aspect of art. Understanding the limitations, the collective reasonings, and the “cycle” man resides in.
CE – Common Era, this represents the time we live in, and can commonly be associated with the now. Much of Performance Art takes place one single time. The performer believes the art is created by a combination of the performer and the environment which can never replicated thus never seen the same way.
ART – A creative sensation buried deep inside. This is what art is to the artist. The primal urge to create is comparable to the primitive and seducing sensation of the loins. It is this place that drives our hunger as it is the same place we are able to create.
Other symbolism – This particular piece was by Chris Burden,”Transfixed.” He is literally crucified on the hood of a VW bug, thus having “man” on his chest and CE evokes Christianity and the death of Christ leading into the Common Era. mance can be read (though the correct spelling is “manse”) which means the house of a minister, or landlord. In performance art, the body exists as a “house” of creativity that opens doors to the mind and soul in the same light as religion. Art and religion embody concepts that exist outside space and time to help us make sense of things inside space and time.
A wedding ring is symbolic of a bond between two people, and thus it is used here to symbolize the audience’s bond with the performer.

concept, design