This is a longer proposal elaborating on ideas described in the application form.
What inspired me to develop this project is the beauty and the solemn, sacred atmosphere of the barn itself. It was standing for a long time in an abandoned field, seeming to be destined for demolition, until Ray Bradley began farming on the field and investing so much of his own money in renovating it.
The barn is very large in scale, and many local people use it as a landmark. While so many of us appreciate having the barn where it is, few of us realize Mr. Bradley's struggle. In addition to his financial pressure, he also faces challenges from neighbors who are ill-informed about the nature of organic farming. My goal is to provide his supporters and non-supporters an opportunity to understand and appreciate his effort, and the practice of organic farming in general, through the power of art which appeals to our senses on an intuitive level.
My intuition is at its strongest when being connected to the site/space, whether the work being painting, installation, or conceptual. My paintings in the last two years have solely been about living in this region, aiming at not adhering to the convention of landscape painting or faithfully duplicating the visual scene, but exploring the visceral experience of connecting to the site.
During the period from 1994 to 96 prior to moving here, I was creating site-specific works using paper and soot, collected by holding paper above a candle flame. I would normally choose paper whose color and texture resembled those of the walls, cut them to a manageable dimension and draw a simple arc with several dots of soot. I would then assemble those sheets of paper to create simple yet powerfully symbolic shapes like a cross or a circle, and glue them directly on the walls. The velvety texture of soot is not achievable in any other way, and is extremely fragile. If it is sprayed with fixative, it changes its color and texture, therefore creating this work on site is imperative.
The combination of the velvety, ephemeral markings of flame and soot, and the stark simplicity com bined with highly symbolic shapes, always solicited strong reactions from the audience. However, I ceased working in this process when I moved, simply because there was no site nor cause in need for it. Until I stepped inside Bradley's barn.
The barn is structurally completely stable but is far from being finished. There are large openings on both ends of the barn which allow sun beams to shine through like a divine light. Ray completely replaced the roof so the meticulously constructed new beams create striking patterns on the ceiling. My plan is to assemble the sheets of paper to form an immense circle resembling the sun on a light weight panel, then to install the panel on the interior wall at one end of the barn between the upper opening and the lower entrance (there is actually a platform protruding from the wall so the panel will hang at the edge of the platform, away from the wall). At the other end, a similar panel will be installed but the paper sheets will be arranged to form a cross.
Attached to the long side-walls of the barn are two large platforms that form an upper level. Along the length of one of the walls, a long horizontal line composed of individual letter-sized sheets of paper will be installed. On each sheet, there will be one dot marked with soot. The dot's placement is varied ever so slightly, along the paper's vertical center, so from a distance the entire piece will look like one long, simple arc. This arc will be viewed from the opposite platform. When a viewer visits the platform whose wall the piece is installed on, s/he will be able to take a closer look at the soot drawings.
Composite photos showing planned installation
The production period is expected to last about three weeks including organizing the barn with help from Ray's employees. During this period, in addition to documenting the creative process, I will keep a daily weblog of what I observe on the farm, including any interaction with visitors. This will help deepen our knowledge of what life on an organic farm is like, as well as heighten the audience's anticipation for the unveiling of the work and the reception.
The three separate pieces mentioned above, will thus consist of many individual sheets of paper which will be given to donors who sign up at the reception, or anytime during the duration of the project. I am fully aware that whatever money I may raise will be only a drop in a bucket for the renovation of the barn. But I may be able to help improve his relations with his neighbors and the town, or at least lessen his psychological pressure.
The project first begins with researching the possible legal problems that may arise in realizing this project. The last thing I want to happen is for this to backfire against Mr. Bradley. Amy Little of Gardiner has generously agreed to act as my consultant in this area, and I look forward to receiving her expert advice while keeping in mind not to take up too much of her time in her busy schedule.
Once the coast is clear, a professional legal adviser will be hired to cover all possibilities for liabilities.
I expect no major problems in the actual creation process until the installation of the panels. They will not be of an unmanageable size, but precaution will be needed to secure them in place. Richard Miller, an architect residing in New Paltz, has agreed to advise and supervise on this process.
At the time of the reception, hired hands will be stationed at the entrance of the barn and at the foot of the stairs, limiting the number of people in the barn at any one time. The reception will be held, on the Bradley farm outside the barn, during the harvest season and will be the time for celebration. A strong PR campaign will be practiced to increase the exposure of the event, and donations from local restaurants will be solicited for the event.
The work will be up for two weeks following the reception.
Although this is a one-time project focusing only on one farm, if it completes successfully, I will extend this idea to other farms, though I may use completely different media. It is also probable that reporting on this process on the web will create some spin-offOs. I will be open and flexible to all future possibilities.
I may not have had experience in carrying out a public art project of this scale, but I have planned and curated many shows in public sites, created a painting installation in a museum, and have a small but reliable group of people for support. As much as money is an issue, it is your encouragement that will have the strongest impact on this project and myself. Even if you must drastically decrease the amount of grant, having your stamp of approval will significantly improve my credibility and give me the emotional boost that any independent artist outside of the commercial loop desperately needs. I hope you will give this project a serious consideration.
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