Stories

2013-2015

Composition Series Installation

Photos by Kento Kawakami

https://www.instagram.com/kento.kawakami/

 

This composition and installation was created for my 2015 Duo Exhibition with Kento Kawakami.

 

This piece took two years of collecting items and refining the tonality of the compositions resulting in the overall look and feel of each piece within the series.

 

The overall concept is that each composition piece within the series was meant to embody or give a window into a story.

 

My Voyage to Toledo was meant to have some historical value and context. The weaponry and "loot" within the trunk was indicative of what a pirate or trader may have stowed away or stolen after visiting Toledo, Spain. Toledo was well known for producing fine weaponry, particularly the types of swords present within the composition.

​

The Origin was meant to have symbolic and literary value. The themes of death and time are apparent and the title itself is a reference to the origin of death stories. The most obvious of which is the Native American culture's origin of death story that features a coyote.

 

I also strategically placed the Archangel Michael costume design across from this piece to further reference the intentions of this composition within the series.

 

The Unexpected, But Delightful Weekend Guests was meant to have some historical significance and paid homage to the consistent use of antique travel trunks as well as some light-hearted comedic tones.

​

The historical significance is most apparent in the use of the Thomas Edison Phonograph Cylinder and antique Eastman Kodak folding camera.

​

The comedic intention of the title is in the fact that unexpected guests might bring three full-sized travel trunks for the weekend.

​

 

 

NFS

​

(Click photos for full image)