Gates

These works explore the concept of movement, both physical and metaphysical. The mundane objects that surround us manipulate our environment and control our movements. Fences serve many domestic and governmental purposes, acting as doorways or barriers to protect things from the outside while also keeping them within its parameters. A hole in a fence changes its meaning; it creates a second opening that is defiant to the first, allowing for passage without disturbance. Fences are symbols of duality and function as portals, gates, and passageways -- they are sacred fixtures of the urban landscape.

        I was exploring the fence as an obstruction that both limits and allows passage. In this sculpture, there is a portal created by an anonymous person who left two markings on the wall behind the fence. The first marking on the left, "Formation II," is made with permanent ink and is a monogram of the Quechua word "RUNA," which means "person or being." These abstracted symbols are known as sigils; they disguise their meaning while giving them power through symbolization. The second marking, “Formation I”, is made with spray enamel and appears to be either a line or cut-like opening in the fence - functioning as another portal beyond its initial entrance.

        The performance piece at the opening of the MFA show consisted of two people wearing white protective clothing to obscure their identities. The performers then made their way through the opening in the fence and proceeded to try and remove the markings with cleaning supplies for about 40 seconds before leaving. This action resulted in a combination of creation and erasure, altering the markings and leaving something new and abstracted.

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