Untitled,
(2004)
tobacco and glue, hand stitched
Discontent is inextricably linked with desire. Buddhist
philosophy holds that all suffering is caused by desire
–a craving for that which is not there. The instruction
to eliminate suffering by eliminating craving is hard
to accept, because craving is the deeply rooted source
for all our motivations, productive or destructive.
If we weren't in some way discontented with our present
moment, why would we do anything at all?
In
the craving project, I am asking myself,
family, friends and strangers to examine their cravings
– to record each craving, what triggered it, whether
it was satisfied or denied, whether it was a need or
a want. Cravings can be tangible or abstract: foods,
drinks, substances, objects, actions, experiences, places,
people, or states of mind, body, or soul. I use these
craved elements, as well as the language people use
to describe them, as raw sculptural material and as
conceptual fodder in a series of sculptures.
The quilt-influenced tobacco and glue piece shown here
is on the of the first pieces in this new series, and
is inspired by a friend’s long struggle (and recent
success) with quitting smoking after 16 years. This
piece investigates how we make precious the things we
crave, and wonders whether it is possible to domesticate
a craving or render it harmless, thereby dissolving
its power. |
