"Totems" Project

This collaboration with Thor Sigstedt and Nate Metheny is a sort-of follow-up on the “Nichos” Project from the last show; in that we will be using the top of the same tree trunk that “Nichos” came from and using it, a very different and more dynamic and sculptural piece, which looks a little like a rustic musical conductor and has branch-arms and a natural top.  The concept is “Totem” and will be based on ‘totems’ of all sorts that will be dynamically projected back onto the trunk and will include, also, figures, such as a woodpecker that pops out in 3D.  There will be other affects that reinforce the dynamic of a totem pole, but will be more modern and include 3D mapping of the tree, digital projection of totemic elements back onto the surface of the actual trunk and also include solid sculptures of ‘totemic’ figures as well as abstract moving design and special lighting and sound effects. It might be nice to have an interactive aspect that allows the viewer to ‘select’ their personal totems and have them arranged on the ‘pole’.  Special care will be taken to not engage in cultural thuggery of any sort and not over-borrow from Native American cultural sensitivities. The piece will take care not to be cutesy and mundane, but meditative, transcendental and modern/abstract, engaging the emotions rather than avoiding them.  The idea comes from the artist’s life-long interest and desire to express their own totem images as serious personal explorations and giving others the permission and challenge to think about their stories and what they mean and this is all designed to have the viewers connect, once again, with the natural world.