Place

Woman: I LIKE TO SEE PEOPLE'S HAND IN THE WORLD.

Woman: IF IT DOESN'T HAVE AMBIGUITY, DON'T BOTHER.

Man: I WAS IN SEARCH OF AN IMAGE

THAT COULD BEST ARTICULATE AMERICANISM.

Woman: IT'S AT THE BASIS OF EXISTENCE.

Anderson: I DREAMED THAT I WAS LIVING IN A BILLBOARD,

AND I WAS LIVING THERE

BECAUSE THE CITY HAD BECOME SO CROWDED

THAT BILLBOARDS WERE THE ONLY PLACES LEFT.

BUT IT WAS GREAT, I HAD AN AMAZING VIEW OF DOWNTOWN

AND PLENTY OF TIME TO JUST SORT OF LOOK AROUND

AND FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO NEXT.

BUT MOST OF THE WORK I DO AS AN ARTIST,

WHETHER IT'S MUSIC, OR IMAGES,

OR STORIES, BEGINS WITH A PLACE --

A ROOM, A ROAD,

THE CITY, A COUNTRY --

AND THESE PLACES BECOME JUMPING-OFF POINTS

FOR MY IMAGINATION.

BUT WHY DO WE FALL IN LOVE WITH A PLACE?

SOMETIMES IT'S BECAUSE IT'S EXOTIC AND FULL OF ENERGY.

AND OTHER TIMES

BECAUSE IT'S HUGE AND EMPTY AND FULL OF POSSIBILITY --

THE KIND OF PLACE WHERE ALMOST ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN.

I THINK WE FALL IN LOVE WITH PLACES

FOR THE SAME REASON THAT WE FALL IN LOVE WITH PEOPLE.

AND OUR REASONS ARE IRRATIONAL

AND PASSIONATE AND HARD TO EXPLAIN.

AND SOMETIMES, WHEN WE FALL IN LOVE WITH A PLACE,

IT BECOMES PART OF US, FOREVER.

YOU KNOW, ART ABOUT PLACES IS OFTEN ABOUT HOW WE MOVE

THROUGH SPACE --

IT'S ABOUT POINT OF VIEW AND PERSPECTIVE

AND SCALE AND EXPLORATION.

BUT IT'S ALSO ABOUT HOW WE TRAP THESE PLACES

AND MAKE THEM INTO WORKS OF ART.

I'M LAURIE ANDERSON,

AND IN A MINUTE, WE'LL BE LOOKING AT

THE WORK OF SEVERAL ARTISTS WHO REINVENT

THE WAY WE SEE PLACES IN SPACE.

AND THEY'RE RICHARD SERRA,

WHO MAKES SCULPTURE ON A VERY LARGE SCALE --

SALLY MANN, WHO IS ROOTED IN HER SOUTHERN LANDSCAPE --

MARGARET KILGALLEN AND BARRY McGEE,

WHO DO STREET ART AND MURALS --

AND PEPON OSORIO, WHO IS KNOWN FOR LARGE-SCALE INSTALLATIONS

THAT EVOLVE FROM INTERACTIONS WITH NEIGHBORHOODS AND PEOPLE.

Serra: FOR THE MOST PART, WORK COMES OUT OF WORK

IN TERMS OF HOW I DEVELOP AN IDEA.

I NEVER BEGIN WITH AN IMAGE

AND I NEVER BEGIN WITH A DRAWING.

I USUALLY BEGIN WITH A MODEL.

IT'S A WAY OF WORKING FROM THE INSIDE OUT.

I THINK I'M PROBABLY BUILDING UPWARD OF 12

TO 15 PIECES RIGHT NOW, IN VARIOUS STAGES --

I'M BUILDING A PIECE IN ST. LOUIS,

I'M BUILDING A PIECE IN WOODSIDE, CALIFORNIA,

I'M BUILDING A PIECE IN SINGAPORE,

I'M BUILDING A PIECE IN QATAR,

I'M BUILDING A PIECE IN NEW ZEALAND --

I'M BUILDING QUITE A LOT OF WORK RIGHT NOW.

I NEVER THINK IN TERMS OF METAPHOR,

NOR DO I THINK IN TERMS OF WHAT THE IMAGE

IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE BEFOREHAND.

WHAT CONCERNS ME IS

THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE ELEMENTS

THAT I HAPPEN TO FIND INTERESTING AT THAT POINT.

AND IF I THINK I CAN INVENT A NEW WAY OF LOOKING

AT THOSE ELEMENTS,

OR MAKE THE POSSIBILITY OF WALKING IN AND THROUGH

AND AROUND A PIECE SOMETHING THAT STARTLES ME,

THEN I THINK THAT THERE'S A POSSIBILITY TO PROCEED.

WITH "CHARLIE BROWN" IN PARTICULAR,

THE PROBLEM WAS HOW TO BEND A SHAPE AS IT ELEVATED

THAT LEANED AWAY FROM YOU AND TURNED...

AND THAT CAME OUT OF HAVING WORKED WITH

THE "ELLIPSES" PRIOR.

I WAS SURPRISED IN THAT PEOPLE WHO HAD ABSOLUTELY

NO INFORMATION ABOUT SCULPTURE WERE ABLE

TO ENTER INTO THESE PIECES

AND FIND A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF ENGAGEMENT

WITH THE SCULPTURE IN WAYS THAT THEY

PROBABLY HADN'T BEFORE.

THE EXPERIENCE FOR A LOT OF THEM WAS FULFILLING

BECAUSE, IN SOME SENSE,

IT WAS STARTLING, BECAUSE IT WAS NEW,

BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T LOCATE THEMSELVES.

IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH ARCHITECTURE,

IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH LANDSCAPE,

IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH BUILDINGS

OR MOUNTAINS OR RAVINES,

OR ANYTHING THAT THEY COULD HAVE A TOUCHSTONE TO.

THIS PIECE HAS A CONTINUOUS MOVEMENT

EVEN IF YOU REMAIN STATIONARY,

SO THIS PIECE HAS A VERY BIG STRETCH,

AND THIS PIECE MAKES YOU CONCENTRATE MORE

ON THE ELASTICITY OF THE STEEL ITSELF

THAN THE PHYSICALITY OF THE SPACE.

THE STEEL IN THIS PIECE BECOMES SOMETHING OTHER THAN STEEL.

IT ALMOST HAS A FEELING

THAT IT'S BEING STRETCHED LIKE RUBBER.

IT BECOMES A BAND, NOT A PLANE.

ONE OF THE THINGS I ALSO FIND GRATIFYING ABOUT THIS PIECE

IS THAT THE OVERHANG ON THIS PIECE

IS UPWARD OF FIVE OR SIX FEET,

SO YOU'RE ABLE TO WALK UNDER THE PIECE...

WHERE THE OVERHANG IS ALMOST LIKE THE HULL OF A SHIP.

PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST

PRIMAL EXPERIENCES I HAD, OR GENERATIVE EXPERIENCES I HAD,

IS WATCHING THE LAUNCHING OF A SHIP

WHEN I WAS ABOUT FOUR YEARS OLD IN MARIN SHIPYARD --

I WENT THERE WITH MY FATHER.

TO SEE A BIG, MASSIVE, OBDURATE SHAPE

BEING LAUNCHED WHERE IT BECOMES BUOYANT AND FREE

AND AFLOAT AND ADRIFT --

WHERE IT CHANGES FROM SOMETHING THAT'S MASSIVE

TO SOMETHING THAT'S WEIGHTLESS,

WAS SOMETHING THAT AFFECTED ME, THAT I NEVER FORGOT ABOUT,

AND FOR A WHILE, IT REALLY BECAME A REOCCURRING DREAM.

Man: WHAT DO YOU DO

IN THAT BOOK ALL THE TIME, RICHARD?

UM, I KEEP TRACK OF MYSELF.

ARE YOU WRITING POETRY?

NO, IT'S A WAY OF KEEPING YOUR EYE AND HAND TOGETHER.

I STARTED DRAWING WHEN I WAS VERY, VERY YOUNG

IN ORDER TO COMPETE FOR, I GUESS, AFFECTION

WITH MY PARENTS, BECAUSE I HAD AN OLDER BROTHER

WHO WAS VERY ARTICULATE,

AND VERY GOOD-LOOKING, VERY TALL --

AND I WAS LIKE THE LITTLE RUNT.

AND IN ORDER TO KIND OF CAPTURE MY PARENTS' IMAGINATION,

AFTER DINNER I WOULD MAKE DRAWINGS EVERY NIGHT.

AND THEY WOULD SUPPORT THOSE DRAWINGS.

AND SO IT BECAME SOMETHING THAT I COULD DO

THAT WAS PERSONAL AND PRIVATE TO ME

AS A WAY OF KEEPING MY HAND AND EYE COORDINATED

IN RELATION TO WHAT I WOULD SEE.

SO IF MY FATHER AND MY BROTHER WERE TAKING THE CAR APART,

I WOULD DRAW THE PARTS.

SO I'VE ALWAYS DONE IT, AND IT'S A WAY JUST TO KEEP

IN TOUCH WITH, NOT ONLY EVERYDAY LIFE FOR ME,

IN A DIARISTIC NOTION,

BUT IN ORDER TO ENABLE ME TO SEE.

AND I THINK THE EYE IS KIND OF A MUSCLE.

AND THE MORE YOU DRAW, THE BETTER SHAPE

THE MUSCLE'S IN, ACTUALLY, THE BETTER YOU SEE.

I DON'T PARTICULARLY THINK OF NOTATION DRAWING

THAT I DO EVERY DAY AS DRAWING PER SE --

I MAKE OTHER DRAWINGS IN WHICH I DEAL WITH

AUTONOMOUS THINGS IN THE WORLD, AND THE HISTORY OF DRAWING.

BUT IN TERMS OF JUST INFORMING MYSELF,

AS A WAY OF KEEPING A DIALOGUE GOING,

UNLIKE WOODY ALLEN TALKING INTO A TAPE RECORDER, I DRAW.

Man: YOU'RE NOT GOING TO CLEAR IT.

IT'S THIS WAY, YEAH?

TAKE IT BACK UP, TAKE IT BACK UP.

Serra: THAT'S THE MOMENT,

IT'S CALLED A 5-MILLIMETER MOMENT --

IT'S WHERE YOU HAVE TO SET IT

AND YOU HAVE TO GET IT WITHIN 5 MILLIMETERS.

Man: HEY, JOHN...

THIS IS GOING TO BE A NIGHTMARE,

TRYING TO WELD THESE...

I DIDN'T TELL IT TO RAIN, COME ON.

BLAME IT ON TONY, HE PICKED THE DATE.

Man: IT'S A REAL COLLABORATION --

FOR ALL THE STEELWORKERS PUTTING THIS TOGETHER

AND EVERYBODY THAT'S INVOLVED --

AND I THINK THE ART IS THE PROCESS

AS WELL AS THE PIECE.

Serra: BUT I LIKE THE WAY IT'S COMING TOGETHER.

Man: DEFINITELY, AND IT'S LIKE OMNIPRESENT.

YEAH, YEAH, YOU CAN'T GET AWAY FROM IT.

OH, YEAH, IT'S RIGHT THERE.

NICE JOB, VERY NICE JOB.

IT'S ALMOST LIKE A PNEUMATIC STRUCTURE.

PNEUMATIC?

YEAH, BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S BEING STRETCHED

AND PUMPED FROM THE INSIDE.

YEAH.

Man: WHERE DO YOU WANT TO WELD THAT NOW?

Man: HERE.

Man: JOHN...

TO BE ABLE TO CONTAIN SPACE AND HOLD SPACE

AND MAKE SPACE THE CONTENT OF THE WORK

THAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH

COMES WITH A CERTAIN KIND OF ACUITY OF UNDERSTANDING

YOUR RELATIONSHIP TO A VOLUME.

VERY SIMPLE IF I SAID IT'S VERY DIFFERENT

THAN WALKING INTO A TELEPHONE BOOTH

THAN A FOOTBALL STADIUM AND SAY, "OH, YES, I UNDERSTAND --

TELEPHONE BOOTH, CLAUSTROPHOBIC; FOOTBALL STADIUM, VAST."

IF YOU TAKE SOMETHING IN BETWEEN THE TELEPHONE BOOTH

AND THE FOOTBALL STADIUM, YOU SAY,

"I'M DEALING WITH THE SUBTLETIES OF WALKING ACROSS THE ROOM,

"ABOUT WHAT'S ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE,

"AND IF YOU TURN AROUND AND WALK BACK,

WHAT'S ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE."

THIS PIECE IS GENERATIVE IN THAT IT'S A NEW PIECE FOR ME,

IT OPENS A WHOLE OTHER BODY,

A WHOLE OTHER SERIES OF WORK FOR ME.

I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT'S GOING TO SPILL OUT,

I DON'T KNOW WHAT KINDS OF WORKS ARE GOING TO COME OUT OF IT,

BUT THERE'S STILL A KIND OF WONDER IN THAT,

BECAUSE THAT PIECE HASN'T REACHED CLOSURE FOR ME.

GROWING UP AS A CHILD OF SALLY MANN

WAS NOT EASY AT ALL.

ANYONE WHO'S AS DRIVEN AS SALLY MANN IS

IS GOING TO BE AN INTENSE MOTHER.

SHE'S DIFFICULT,

AND FOR AS MUCH AS I GET ANNOYED

AND STRUGGLE AGAINST IT

AND FIGHT IT, I LOVE IT AT THE SAME TIME,

SO IT'S SUCH A YIN AND A YANG.

GOD, IT DOES LOOK LIKE

THE SHROUD OF TURIN OR SOMETHING.

IT LOOKS SO PONDEROUS --

WHEREAS THIS LOOKS SO EPHEMERAL.

GOD, THEY'RE JUST TWO DIFFERENT PICTURES.

SOME PICTURES JUST HAVE TO BE A CERTAIN WAY,

BUT THIS DOESN'T SEEM TO

CRY OUT TO BE EITHER LIGHT OR DARK.

WHICH JUST MAKES MY JOB HARDER, ACTUALLY.

EVERY TIME SHE LOOKS AT SOMETHING,

SHE'S LOOKING AT IT AS AN ARTIST.

IT'S SO MUCH OF HER ENERGY.

AND SO I THINK WE LOST, TO SOME EXTENT,

A MOTHER, BUT WE GAINED A FRIEND,

AND AN ARTISTIC ACCOMPLICE,

AND SOMETHING ENTIRELY DIFFERENT.

Man: IT'S A TREMENDOUS EFFORT THAT GOES INTO IT.

SALLY WILL HAVE A PILE OF,

WHAT I THINK ARE BEAUTIFUL PRINTS,

AND THOSE ARE THE REJECTS,

AND I'M SITTING HERE GOING, GOD.

THIS IS A TOUGH ONE.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THESE DOG BONES IS THEIR AMBIGUITY.

IT TAKES YOU A WHILE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY ARE,

OR MAYBE YOU DON'T FIGURE IT OUT.

IF IT DOESN'T HAVE AMBIGUITY, DON'T BOTHER TO TAKE IT.

I MEAN, I LOVE THAT, THAT ASPECT OF PHOTOGRAPHY,

THE MENDACITY OF PHOTOGRAPHY.

IT'S GOT TO HAVE SOME KIND OF PECULIARITY IN IT

OR IT'S NOT INTERESTING TO ME.

DO RIGHT.

JUST STAY THERE.

IF I COULD BE SAID TO HAVE ANY KIND OF AESTHETIC,

IT'S SORT OF A MAGPIE AESTHETIC, YOU KNOW.

I JUST GO AROUND AND I PICK UP WHATEVER'S AROUND.

IT'S VERY SPONTANEOUS.

I SEE A DOG BONE, I BRING IT IN,

I TAKE A PICTURE, I LIKE THE PICTURE.

I TOOK, WELL, HEY, THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD PICTURE,

SO THEN I GO COLLECT ALL THE OTHER DOG BONES

AND I BRING THEM IN AND I TAKE A FEW MORE PICTURES,

AND THEN I PUT THEM ON THE WALL,

AND THEN BEFORE LONG, THE GALLERY SAYS,

"WELL, LET'S DO A SHOW OF DOG BONES."

SO WE DO A SHOW OF DOG BONES,

AND THEN SOME, LIKE, CYNICAL POST-MODERN CRITIC

WILL COME ALONG AND SAY,

"OH, MY GOD, LOOK AT THE SHOW OF DOG BONES,

WHAT DO YOU SUPPOSE IT MEANS?"

AND THAT'S, OHH!

THAT'S A GOOD DOG.

SURE, GO GET IT.

THESE DOG BONES ARE JUST MAKING ART

THE WAY ART SHOULD BE MADE, I THINK,

WITHOUT ANY OVERARCHING REFERENCE.

JUST FOR FUN, IF YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT,

ART FOR FUN, SOMETIMES IT IS FUN.

THERE'S A LOT OF DISPUTE

ABOUT THE PROPER WAY TO HOLD THIS GLASS.

I LEARNED HOW TO DO THIS FROM A MASTER,

HE'S JUST A GENIUS TEACHER,

AND HE REALLY KNOWS WET PLATE COLLODION.

HIS NAME'S MARK OSTERMAN.

IT'S A SORT OF CRANKY PROCESS.

IT DOESN'T ALLOW FOR MUCH SLOPPY TECHNIQUE.

IT'S HARD TO GET THESE CHEMICALS.

THEY'RE ALL, YOU KNOW, CONTROLLED.

COLLODION AND ETHER, AND OF COURSE, GRAIN ALCOHOL

YOU CAN GET, BUT YOU CAN'T GET IT IN VIRGINIA.

THEN YOU TAKE IT TO THE SILVER NITRATE.

WHOA, THERE'S A BUG IN HERE.

AND FOR REASONS THAT ESCAPE ME COMPLETELY,

THE SILVER NITRATE STICKS TO THE COLLODION AND ETHER

AND COATS IT.

MY PLATES ARE HORRIBLY FLAWED.

BUT, OF COURSE, IT'S THE FLAWS I LIKE,

SO YOU PRAY.

IN YOUR PRAYER, YOU PRAY,

PLEASE DON'T LET ME SCREW IT UP, BUT JUST SCREW IT UP

A LITTLE BIT, JUST ENOUGH TO MAKE IT INTERESTING.

OKAY.

IT'S SO STUPID --

I HAVE TO USE ONE HAND TO HOLD MY SHUTTER SHUT,

I HAVE TO USE A HEAD TO KEEP THE CAMERA FROM MOVING.

THERE'S GOT TO BE AN EASIER WAY.

ALL RIGHT, WELL, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

30 SECONDS, I'D SAY.

ACTUALLY, I'M SURPRISED IT TOOK ME THIS LONG

TO GET TO THIS PROCESS.

BECAUSE I WAS SO IMMERSED

IN THAT WHOLE GLASS PLATE, 19th-CENTURY AESTHETIC.

I LIKE THAT ONE, THERE'S JENNA BEING THE WEIRDO AGAIN.

Sally: OH, WITHOUT THE SPLINTER?

Daughter: SHE'S SO NORMAL-LOOKING NOW,

NO ONE WOULD KNOW THAT SHE WAS...

SHE WAS JUST BEAUTIFUL, AND SHE LOOKED LIKE SOMEONE

THAT STEPPED OUT OF THE WRONG CENTURY.

YEAH, GREAT LITTLE MODEL, THOUGH.

Daughter: THE MOST INCREDIBLE LITTLE GIRL.

Sally: SHE COULD PUT ON A POUT LIKE NOBODY'S BUSINESS.

Daughter: SHE COULD THROW A FIT LIKE NOBODY'S BUSINESS.

Sally: WELL, THAT'S TRUE, TOO.

THE WAY I APPROACH PHOTOGRAPHY, IT'S VERY SPONTANEOUS.

THE CHILDREN WERE THERE,

SO I TOOK PICTURES OF MY CHILDREN.

IT'S NOT THAT I'M INTERESTED IN CHILDREN THAT MUCH,

OR PHOTOGRAPHING THEM, IT'S JUST THAT THEY WERE THERE.

SHE WOULD CALL US HER MODELS, BUT USUALLY

IT WAS JUST SOMETHING WHERE SHE'D SAY "FREEZE,"

AND WE'D STOP WHAT WE WERE DOING.

SOMETIMES SHE'D MAKE SOME SMALL ALTERATION,

BUT THAT WAS ALL.

THE ONE WHERE MY HAIR IS ON MY RIBS,

I REMEMBER THAT I HAD TO KEEP GOING BACK

AND WETTING MY HAIR,

BECAUSE IT WOULD DRY AND THEN SLIP, SO...

THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT I REMEMBER.

Sally: DO YOU REMEMBER HOW MANY TIMES WE TOOK THAT PICTURE?

YES, WE...

I REMEMBER.

THAT WAS A PRODUCTION,

BECAUSE SOMEONE HAD TO SIT BEHIND YOU IN THE RIVER

AND THWACK THE RIVER WITH THE CANOE

TO MAKE THOSE LITTLE RIPPLES THAT ARE BEHIND YOU.

Man: THAT'S WHAT I WAS DOING.

Sally: YEAH, YOU WERE THWACKING THE RIVER,

AND SHE WAS STANDING THERE KEEPING HER HAIR

FROM FALLING OFF HER RIBS.

AND STILL MAINTAINING A BEATIFIC EXPRESSION.

THAT WAS A REALLY HARD PICTURE TO TAKE.

I WANTED THOSE FAMILY PICTURES TO LOOK EFFORTLESS.

I WANTED THEM TO LOOK LIKE SNAPSHOTS.

THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT THE WHOLE 8 x 10 BUSINESS.

THE SORT OF REVERENCE THAT GOES ALONG WITH IT,

THAT YOU HAVE TO, YOU HAVE TO PAY YOUR DUES

TO THE PHOTO GODS, I GUESS.

YOU KNOW, MY MOTHER'S VISION,

SHE HAD AN IDEA, IT WAS ALMOST LIKE A DREAM.

I THINK SHE HAS A DREAM PICTURE,

AND SHE JUST GRADUALLY, LIKE, REFINES IT

UNTIL IT'S EXACTLY WHAT SHE'S LOOKING FOR.

IT TOOK LIKE FIVE SEPARATE TRIPS OUT HERE,

AND TAKING, PROBABLY, LOOKED LIKE 15 TO 20 PICTURES

EVERY SINGLE TIME.

SHE WAS LOOKING, EVERY TIME SHE TOOK A PICTURE OF ME,

I KNEW SHE WAS LOOKING FOR THAT

INTENSITY THAT I FEEL MY SISTERS AND I HAVE,

MY MOTHER HAS --

IT'S JUST LIKE THIS INTENSITY, MANN INTENSITY,

I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS, IT PLAGUES ME TO THIS DAY.

Sally: IT WAS MY FATHER WHO GAVE ME

ALMOST ALL MY CAMERAS, THE FIRST HALF-DOZEN, I GUESS.

HE WAS AN ATHEIST WHO PRACTICED

COMPASSIONATE MEDICINE, 60 HOURS A WEEK.

HE WAS ENOUGH OF A SOCIALIST TO BELIEVE

YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR IT IF YOU COULDN'T.

BUT HE WAS ALSO AN ART COLLECTOR,

I MEAN, HE BOUGHT KANDINSKY IN THE '30s,

AND TWOMBLY IN THE '5Os.

AND HE WAS QUITE AN UNUSUAL MAN, AND HELL TO LIVE UP TO.

BUT THEN, OF COURSE, MY MOTHER...

IN ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF POSES HERE.

YOU COULDN'T HAVE TWO MORE DISPARATE BACKGROUNDS.

MY MOTHER WITH THIS, LIKE, BLUE-BLOOD NEW ENGLAND,

AND MY FATHER SORT OF A RENEGADE TEXAN.

BUT I WAS THE THIRD CHILD.

TWO OLDER BROTHERS.

AND I SORT OF THINK BY THE TIME I CAME ALONG,

EVERYONE WAS TIRED OF RAISING CHILDREN.

IT WASN'T THAT THEY NEGLECTED ME,

IT WAS A BENIGN NEGLECT, I GUESS.

I KNOW I NEVER WORE CLOTHES.

THEY'RE ALL, EVERY PICTURE OF ME IS NAKED.

AND THEY HAD 12 BOXERS, SO I WAS ALWAYS

SURROUNDED BY A PACK OF DOGS.

I JUST RAN WILD FOR THE FIRST SEVEN YEARS OF MY LIFE --

AND THEN WENT TO SCHOOL,

AND DIDN'T TAKE TO IT TOO KINDLY,

BUT I WAS EVENTUALLY CIVILIZED.

I GUESS THAT'S A LITTLE HOW I RAISED MY OWN KIDS.

AND A LITTLE WHY I WAS SO NONPLUSSED

WHEN PEOPLE WERE SO SURPRISED

TO SEE THE PICTURES OF MY CHILDREN WITHOUT SHIRTS

AND PANTS, AND RUNNING WILD, TOO.

IT SEEMED LIKE A PERFECTLY NORMAL THING TO DO, TO ME.

Daughter: I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER SEEN THIS ONE BEFORE.

SEE, THAT'S AN EXAMPLE, YOU SEE YOUR HAND IN THERE?

YOU SEE HOW YOUR GESTURE IS?

YOU DIDN'T HAVE THAT CLUNKY CHILD THING.

YOU WERE SO SVELTE AND SYLPH-LIKE.

Daughter: EVERYONE LOOKS AT THESE PICTURES,

AND IT'S LIKE, YOU MUST HAVE HAD THE MOST AMAZING CHILDHOOD.

WE DID.

I WAS LITERALLY A WATER NYMPH UNTIL I WAS 12, I THINK.

IT WASN'T MAGICAL AT THE TIME, BUT LOOKING BACK ON IT,

IT'S KIND OF LIKE...

BUT THEN, YOU KNOW, SHE SAID THAT ALL THE PICTURES

STARTED LOOKING LIKE FASHION ADS.

SO, SHE HAD TO DO SOMETHING ELSE.

Son: I LOVE THE LANDSCAPES,

I DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH THEM.

I WAS READY TO STOP GETTING -- TAKING PICTURES.

I WAS LIKE, AHH, NO MORE TAKING PICTURES.

Daughter: I ARGUE THAT THE LANDSCAPES ARE GOING TO BE

THE ONES THAT SHE'S GOING TO BE REMEMBERED FOR.

IN THE END, THAT'S GOING TO BE WHAT'S GOING TO BE

THE MOST LASTING BODY OF WORK.

I DON'T THINK SO, I THINK IMMEDIATE FAMILY WAS, ACTUALLY.

THE PICTURES OF US WERE, ACTUALLY.

NO, I'M JUST PLAYING.

BECAUSE THESE ARE THE MOST INTERESTING SUBJECT MATTER.

Sally: WELL, CERTAINLY.

BUT THESE HAVE THE BETTER SKILL.

IT'S FUNNY, 'CAUSE MOM'S SO...

YOU HAVE TO LEAVE, MOM.

I FEEL STUPID TALKING ABOUT HER IF SHE'S IN THE ROOM.

SHE'S, SHE WAS RAISED WITH NO SENSE OF GOD

IN SUCH AN ATHEISTIC FAMILY.

AND YOU'LL NEVER HEAR HER

SAY ANYTHING SPIRITUAL OR RELIGIOUS.

SPIRITUAL, MAYBE.

EVEN THEN, SHE'S LIKE,

I DON'T WANT TO GET TOO TOUCHY-FEELY.

SHE'S REALLY AGAINST THAT STUFF.

BUT I THINK IT'S HER BIBLE, IT'S HER EXPRESSION

OF HER SPIRITUALITY THAT SHE CAN'T SAY

WITHOUT FEELING STUPID.

MAYBE IT'S THE SAME THING WITH IMMEDIATE FAMILY,

SORT OF A MATERNAL UNDERSTANDING, MATERNAL LOVE,

THAT'S SO HARD TO EXPRESS, SO SHE TOOK PICTURES.

Son: I KNOW MY MOTHER LOVES THE SOUTH,

LIKE THERE'S SOMETHING JUST INCREDIBLE

ABOUT PLACES THAT DON'T HAVE MALLS,

AND HAVE LIKE A REAL SENSE OF HISTORY.

AND I FEEL LIKE, ESPECIALLY IN THE UNITED STATES,

LIKE THAT IS BEING DESTROYED SO QUICKLY.

Sally: OF COURSE, I CAN'T SEE ANYMORE BECAUSE I'M BLIND.

DO YOU HAVE YOUR READING GLASSES, LARRY?

Son: DAD IS JUST AS MUCH A PART OF MOM,

THEIR RELATIONSHIP IS SO MUCH TIED WITH THE LAND,

AND I FEEL LIKE THEY JUST ARE REALLY AWARE OF HOW IMPORTANT

MAINTAINING A SENSE OF BEAUTY

IN WHAT SURROUNDS YOU.

WE CAN MAKE A PRINT OF IT.

Man: I JUST LOVE THE FEEL

OF THE LARGE IMAGES.

OFTEN I'LL BE THERE WHEN THE IMAGE IS BEING MADE.

IT'S JUST PART OF A CONTINUUM.

BASICALLY, IT'S BASICALLY PRETTY GOOD.

IT LOOKS NICE AGAINST THE BLACK.

YOU KNOW, YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE INTIMATELY INVOLVED

IN THE WHOLE PROCESS, YET ONCE THAT FINAL IMAGE

HITS THE WALL, IT'S GOT A LIFE OF ITS OWN.

IT'S REALLY, IT'S A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE ALTOGETHER.

Sally: AH!

JUST A LITTLE LIGHTER.

♫OVER THE MILES...♫

Kilgallen: I LIKE THINGS THAT ARE HANDMADE,

AND I LIKE TO SEE PEOPLE'S HAND IN THE WORLD.

ANY DAY IN THE MISSION IN SAN FRANCISCO,

YOU CAN SEE A HAND-PAINTED SIGN THAT IS

KIND OF FUNKY.

AND MAYBE THAT PERSON, IF THEY HAD MONEY,

THEY WOULD PREFER TO HAVE A NEON SIGN.

BUT I DON'T PREFER THAT.

I THINK IT'S BEAUTIFUL WHAT THEY DID,

IN THAT THEY DID IT THEMSELVES.

THAT'S WHAT I FIND BEAUTIFUL.

UM, I'M AN ARTIST AND I JUST LIKE THOSE FIGURES A LOT.

DO YOU KNOW WHO PAINTED THEM?

NO, NO.

THEY'RE PRETTY AWESOME.

OFTEN IN THE CITY, WHEN THERE'S SO MANY THINGS TO LOOK AT,

AND SO MANY THINGS GOING ON, YOU DON'T SEE THOSE THINGS,

BUT I SEE THOSE THINGS.

McGee: THERE'S A LOT OF TALK OF HOW DAMAGING GRAFFITI IS,

AND THIS DESTRUCTION THAT HAPPENS WITH GRAFFITI,

BUT THERE'S ACTUALLY NO DAMAGE AT ALL,

IT CAN BE LIKE PAINTED OVER WITH A ROLLER.

THEY'RE JUST LIKE COMMERCIAL JINGLES, LIKE,

THAT ARE STUCK IN MY HEAD, AND TO ME,

THAT'S LIKE, THAT'S DAMAGE TO ME.

Kilgallen: THE PUBLIC LOOKS AT GRAFFITI AND SEES GARBAGE,

AND SEES UGLINESS.

AND I ALWAYS WONDER WHY THEY DON'T LOOK AT THE BILLBOARDS,

ESPECIALLY AROUND SAN FRANCISCO, THERE'S MILLIONS, EVERYWHERE,

ISN'T THAT GARBAGE?

THAT'S LIKE MIND GARBAGE.

McGee: THE BILLBOARDS ARE VERY SUBVERSIVE,

AND ADVERTISING IS VERY SUBVERSIVE,

WHEREAS, LIKE MOST OF THE STUFF THAT'S DONE ON THE STREET

IS VERY CLOSE TO THE TRUTH.

IT'S LIKE THE HIGHEST ART THERE IS.

I'VE DONE GRAFFITI FOR A HELL OF A LONG TIME.

THERE'S NEVER BEEN LIKE A TIME WHEN I WAS LIKE,

OH, I'M LIKE 25 NOW, I'M GOING TO STOP DOING GRAFFITI.

YOU KNOW, IT WASN'T LIKE A PLANNED THING, LIKE,

OH, I DO ART, NOW I'M GONNA SURF AND NOW I'M GONNA DO GRAFFITI.

IT'S JUST EVERYTHING, I'VE ALWAYS DONE IT.

Kilgallen: AND MOST OF THE THINGS

THAT INSPIRE MY ARTWORK ARE

FOLK ART OF SOME KIND, AMERICAN FOLK ART.

I'M ALSO VERY INTERESTED IN INDIAN FOLK ART.

WHEN I FIRST STARTED PAINTING SERIOUSLY,

I USED TO LOOK AT A LOT OF TYPOGRAPHY

FROM, LIKE, THE 16th CENTURY,

AND THE COLOR OF THE INKS THAT THEY USED,

WHICH WERE NORMALLY BLACK AND RED, AND SOMETIMES BLUE.

HAVING A BACKGROUND IN DOING PRINTMAKING

AND DOING LETTERPRESS, I BECAME VERY INTERESTED

IN IMAGES THAT WERE FLAT AND GRAPHIC.

AND MY PAINTING STILL TODAY IS VERY FLAT.

IN MY OWN WORK, I DO EVERYTHING BY HAND, I DON'T PROJECT.

I DO SPEND A LOT OF TIME TRYING TO PERFECT MY LINE WORK

AND MY HAND, BUT MY HAND WILL ALWAYS BE IMPERFECT

BECAUSE IT'S HUMAN.

IF I'M DOING REALLY BIG LETTERS AND I SPEND A LOT OF TIME

GOING OVER THE LINE AND OVER THE LINE

TRYING TO MAKE IT STRAIGHT,

I'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO MAKE IT STRAIGHT.

FROM A DISTANCE, IT MIGHT LOOK STRAIGHT,

BUT WHEN YOU GET CLOSE UP,

YOU CAN ALWAYS SEE THE LINE WAVER.

AND I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE THE BEAUTY IS.

McGee: I BRING IN EVERY LITTLE DAMN THING ON THE STREET.

SOME STUFF MAKES IT, SOME DOESN'T.

SOME THINGS JUST GET WALKED ON FOR YEARS AND YEARS,

AND THEN MAGICALLY, IT WORKS IN A FRAME.

I LIKE THAT PROCESS OF A THING DISCARDED

THEN PICKED UP AND THEN INTERCEPTED,

AND THEN I DO SOMETHING ON IT AND THEN IT GOES INTO

A FINE COLLECTOR'S HOME, PROBABLY.

AND, ONCE AGAIN, IT'S CHERISHED.

THE FRAME CLUSTERS OF DRAWINGS ARE USUALLY

LITTLE SCENARIOS THAT HAVE DEVELOPED

AND THAT I HAVE SEEN ON THE STREET,

AND THEN GO HOME AND JUST DRAW IT, OR WHATNOT,

AND THEN PUT IT INTO A FRAME,

AND THEN I'VE ALWAYS JUST THOUGHT OF THEM AS LIKE

SIMILAR TO LIKE HOW A COMMUNITY OF SOME SORT MIGHT WORK.

IN SOME AREAS, PEOPLE ARE GETTING ALONG GREAT,

HAVING A GOOD TIME.

THEN SOME HAVE TENSION, SO IT'S LIKE,

LOOSELY LIKE A COMMUNITY.

BUT WHEN I WENT INTO ART SCHOOL,

I WANTED TO KNOW EVERYTHING.

I TOOK INSTALLATION CLASSES, I TOOK PERFORMANCE CLASSES,

I WAS LIKE, I WANTED TO KNOW THIS THING ART LIKE SO BADLY,

I WANTED TO KNOW WHAT THE HELL IT WAS.

I COULD NEVER KNOCK ART SCHOOL.

I LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT THE PROCESS OF MAKING

AND DOCUMENTATING, AND VOILA, HERE'S ART, WE HAVE ART, YAY!

EVERYONE APPLAUD, WE HAVE ART.

I FELT LIKE I WAS AN ART SCHOOL JOCK OF SOME SORT.

IF IT WAS ART THAT I WAS GOING TO DO,

I WAS GOING TO BE GOOD AT IT.

THERE WAS NO WAY THAT I WAS GOING TO BE LOUSY AT IT.

[ TRAIN WHISTLE ]

OH, MY GOD, WE GOTTA GO, BECAUSE THERE'S A GUY BACK THERE

AND I DON'T KNOW HIM.

ALL RIGHT, WE SHOULD PROBABLY GO.

THE THING THAT REALLY FASCINATED ME ABOUT THE TRAINS

IS THAT IT'S VERY MUCH ABOUT FOLKLORE.

YOU SEE A HUGE VARIETY OF MARKINGS.

JUST REALLY, REALLY OLD ONES,

AND THERE'S SO MUCH HISTORY THERE.

IT IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN HAPPENING

EVER SINCE TRAINS WERE AROUND.

AND IT IS STILL HAPPENING TODAY, IT'S HAPPENING IN THE PRESENT,

AND YET WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, IT LOOKS LIKE FOLKLORE.

HE ORIGINALLY WROTE IT IN '85,

THEN HE CAME PAST IT AGAIN IN '91,

AND THEN HE CAME PAST IT AGAIN IN '92.

SO EVERY TIME HE GOES PAST IT, YOU UPDATE YOUR SIGNATURE.

YOU'RE LEARNING ABOUT SOMEONE

WITHOUT EVER EVEN KNOWING THE PERSON.

THERE'S LEGALITIES ABOUT WRITING

ON SOMEONE ELSE'S PROPERTY, TOO, WHICH I ALWAYS ENJOY.

BUT THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE JUST LIKE

WORKING-CLASS PEOPLE THAT WRITE ON TRAINS, AND...

Kilgallen: AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHY THEY DO IT.

I DON'T KNOW WHY WE DO IT, IT'S LIKE YOU JUST DO IT.

WE HAVEN'T GOT KICKED OUT OR ANYTHING,

I WAS EXPECTING TO GET KICKED OUT.

I KNOW.

THAT'S A GOOD ONE.

BARRY --

WHAT, I ALMOST HIT IT.

BARRY, DON'T --

LOOK, I HAVE ONE ON THERE.

WHENEVER I DO STUFF INDOORS, I ALWAYS FEEL LIKE

I HAVE TO DO 110% MORE STUFF OUTDOORS TO KEEP, LIKE,

MY STREET CREDIBILITY.

IT'S PROBABLY THE AUDIENCE I'M MOST WORRIED ABOUT,

LIKE GRAFFITI KIDS THAT ARE REALLY DOING STUFF ARE LIKE...

AND I'M ALWAYS WARY OF HOW I SIT IN THE EYE

OF LIKE A 12- OR 13-YEAR-OLD KID, LIKE,

WHAT DO THEY THINK OF WHAT I'VE DONE,

HOW I FIT IN THEIR SCHEME OF THINGS,

OR, "OH, THAT GUY SOLD OUT."

Kilgallen: THE MORE AND MORE WORK I DO

IN A GALLERY, THEN IT'S REALLY EASY

TO GET SEPARATED FROM PEOPLE.

YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO SELL YOUR WORK,

AND YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO LIVE OFF YOUR WORK.

AND THAT WORLD THAT INVOLVES THE ART BUYING AND SELLING

IS A VERY CLOSED WORLD,

AND SOMETIMES YOU FORGET ABOUT THE OTHER WORLD AROUND YOU.

McGee: IT HAS TO DO WITH MONEY, YOU KNOW?

WHO HAS ACCESS TO SPACE.

AND WHEN I FEEL LIKE THE ACCESS TO SPACE

IS LIKE CUT OFF FOR LIKE THE GENERAL PUBLIC,

THAT MAKES ME WANT TO DO STUFF ON THE STREET

EVEN THAT MUCH MORE.

THE STUFF IN THE GALLERIES IS JUST,

IT'S ALREADY, THE ART CROWD, IT'S THE SAME PEOPLE.

SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE IF I DO SOMETHING INDOORS,

THE CIRCLE OF PEOPLE THAT SEE THINGS

IS GETTING SMALLER AND SMALLER, WHEREAS IF I'M OUTDOORS,

IT'S OPEN TO ANYONE TO LOOK AT.

BUT DOING STUFF INDOORS IS DEFINITELY, IT'S FUN TO DO.

I LIKE GOING TO SITES AND JUST,

THEY PRETTY MUCH LET ME RUN AROUND WILD AND FREE

FOR LIKE A MONTH, AND THEN I STOP AND THAT'S IT.

YOU KNOW, WITHOUT SUPERVISION, SO...

THERE'S A SENSE OF FREEDOM INVOLVED, TOO.

UP TO ABOUT, LIKE, '98,

I ALWAYS PAINTED DIRECTLY ON THE WALLS,

THEN PEOPLE WOULD COME, SEE THE PIECE,

AND THE ONLY THING THAT WOULD BE KIND OF LEFT

IS THE IDEA OF THE PIECE, BUT I DID SOMETHING

AT THE WALKER, THEY SKINNED THE WALLS.

AND IT WAS PART MY IDEA, MY DECISION, TOO,

SO I COULD HAVE SOMETHING TO KEEP.

IT'S A CONTRADICTION, TOO, FOR ME.

I DEFINITELY SELL STUFF TO MAKE A LIVING.

I'M A WORKING ARTIST NOW, I MEAN,

I ALWAYS LIKE TO THINK THAT I'M TRYING TO KEEP IT

AS PURE AS POSSIBLE,

BUT WHAT I DO IS DEFINITELY TAINTED, TOO.

Osorio: IT'S HARD TO EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE

WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO AS AN ARTIST,

BECAUSE I DO NOT FIT THE ARTIST DESCRIPTION.

I'M ALWAYS DOING EVERYTHING SO SUBVERTIVE.

LIKE ALWAYS DIFFERENTLY.

MY WORK DEALS A LOT WITH CONTRADICTION.

I EMBRACE CONTRADICTION.

CONTRADICTION CAN COEXIST

WITH BEAUTY --

IT CAN COEXIST WITH ANGER.

IT CAN COEXIST WITH THE DIFFERENT EMOTIONS.

THE HUMAN BODY.

[ LATIN MUSIC ]

IN "NO CRYING ALLOWED IN THE BARBERSHOP,"

IT'S ABOUT RE-CREATING MY MEMORY.

WHEN I WAS FIVE YEARS OLD, MY FATHER TOOK ME

TO GET MY FIRST HAIRCUT, RIGHT AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

WHAT WAS MEANT TO BE A CELEBRATION

BECAME A DISASTROUS EVENT.

THIS BARBER, HE WAS NOT USED TO DEALING WITH

KINKY HAIR, CURLY HAIR.

I WAS CRYING A LOT, I WAS SCARED.

I WAS TRAUMATIZED BY THE SOUND OF THE HAIR CLIPPING.

THERE WAS A COMBINATION OF RACE,

A RIGHT OF PASSAGE INTO BECOMING A LITTLE MAN,

AND I THINK THAT THEY BOTH CAME TOGETHER SIMULTANEOUSLY.

"NO CRYING ALLOWED IN THE BARBERSHOP"

DEALS WITH THE ISSUE OF MACHISMO, BUT AS A WHOLE.

AND AS A WHOLE, IT CONNECTS TO THE UNIVERSE,

SOMEHOW.

THE PIECE PAYS HOMAGE TO MY FATHER,

A MAN OF AFRICAN DESCENT.

I OFTEN FEEL THAT AS PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENT,

WE WERE COMPLETELY DISPLACED

FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT WE COME FROM,

WHICH IS, WHICH IS A CONTRADICTION,

BUT IT MAKES SENSE IN PUERTO RICAN REALITY.

Man: WHEN HE WAS ABOUT EIGHT OR NINE YEARS OLD,

I NOTICED THAT HE PAINTED THE CEILING OF THE HOUSE,

OF HIS ROOM.

IT WAS BEAUTIFUL, YOU KNOW, IT LOOKED BEAUTIFUL,

SO LATER ON I GOT HAPPY.

Luisa: HE ALWAYS --

EVERYTHING, HE WANTED ALWAYS TO, TO --

HE WAS DOING ALL KINDS OF ARTICLES LIKE,

LIKE HOUSES, TRUCKS, CARS AND EVERYTHING, HE WOULD.

AND WE ENJOYED TO SEE HIM WORKING,

BECAUSE I WANT HIM TO MAKE, AT LEAST TO HAVE A TRADE.

COMING FROM A WORKING-CLASS FAMILY,

BEING AN ARTIST IS NOT AN OPTION,

IT'S MORE OF A CHALLENGE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.

I JUST CANNOT REMEMBER EVER SAYING,

"I'M GOING TO BE AN ARTIST."

IT WAS NOT A POSSIBILITY,

IT WAS NOT AN ALTERNATIVE.

I WAS WORKING AS A SOCIAL WORKER.

AND I PUT THAT ROLE IN MY POCKET.

I ALWAYS HAD TO HAVE TWO THINGS HAPPENING SIMULTANEOUSLY,

JUST IN CASE ONE DIDN'T GO GOOD,

WELL, THEN I HAD THE OTHER ONE TO SURVIVE.

THE ONLY WAY THAT I CAN CONNECT

IS BY DOING INSTALLATION WORK,

BECAUSE I FEEL THAT I NEEDED TO SAY SOMETHING

THAT HAD TO BE BEYOND SOMETHING ON THE WALL.

I NEED TO CREATE A SPACE THAT IS OVERPOWERING.

AND I'M VERY MUCH AWARE THAT MY WORK,

IT'S ONE THAT PROVIDES,

AESTHETICALLY, AN UNCOMFORTABLE REACTION IN MANY PEOPLE.

IT'S INTERESTING, BECAUSE A LOT OF THE PEOPLE

ASK ME, "DO YOU LIVE LIKE THIS?

IS THIS HOW YOUR HOME IS?"

AND IT ISN'T -- I AM MAKING A VERY CALCULATED INTERVENTION.

WHEN THIS PIECE, "THE SCENE OF A CRIME,"

WAS AT THE WHITNEY MUSEUM,

IT ALMOST FELT AS IF I HAD TAKEN A PIECE OF THE SOUTH BRONX

AND PLACED IT IN THE MIDDLE OF MADISON AVENUE.

THE LATINO COMMUNITY HAS BEEN PORTRAYED

AS ONE THAT IS VERY ACCESSIBLE.

AND IN SPECIFICALLY "THE SCENE OF A CRIME,"

IT HAS A YELLOW RIBBON

WHERE PEOPLE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO COME IN --

BECAUSE I HAVE DELINEATED THESE VERY SPECIFIC SPACES

AND VERY SPECIFIC ISSUES AS SACRED SPACES.

AND AS YOU STAND

AND YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO COME IN,

THEN YOU NEED TO REFLECT.

AND YOU NEED TO CONFRONT YOURSELF --

ALMOST AS IF I STAND A GIANT MIRROR RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU.

EVERY TIME I CREATE A WORK OF ART,

AND I GO INTO DIFFERENT, OTHER SECTORS OF SOCIETY

TO GATHER INFORMATION,

AND THE WORK IS CREATED WHEN I BRING TOGETHER

WHERE I AM AND WHERE THE REST OF SOCIETY IS.

Man: OKAY, I JUST WANT TO KNOW IF THIS,

DO WE HAVE TO KEEP ON VISITING YOU BEHIND BARS,

OR ARE WE GOING TO LIVE LIKE A FAMILY ALREADY,

'CAUSE YOU IN JAIL AND US TWO OUT HERE,

YOU KNOW MOM IS PROBABLY, AIN'T BARELY MAKING IT,

YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?

Man: I USED TO GET UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT

TO CHANGE YOUR PAMPERS, TO...

YOU PISSED ON ME A COUPLE OF TIMES,

YOU USED TO CRY AND,

AND I REMEMBER ALL OF THAT.

I REMEMBER THE FIRST WORDS THAT CAME OUT OF YOUR MOUTH

WAS "DADDY."

I DIDN'T PASS THIS YEAR,

'CAUSE IT WAS ONE DEATH AFTER THE OTHER,

AND THEN YOU GETTING LOCKED UP.

AND IT WAS JUST LIKE EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW,

JUST FALLING ON ME.

Osorio: WHAT I WOULD LOVE PEOPLE TO COME OUT IS THINKING

WHO THEY ARE IN RELATIONSHIP TO WHAT THEY HAVE JUST SEEN,

AND START A NEGOTIATION.

NOT ONLY WITH THE ART WORK,

BUT THE PUBLIC AT LARGE.

WHO I AM.

WHERE DO I STAND?

Man: I LOVE YOU NOW, SON.

Osorio: I'M VERY MUCH AWARE THAT WHAT I WANTED TO DO

IS TO PROVOKE CHANGE,

NOT ONLY SOCIALLY, BUT PHYSICALLY AND SPIRITUALLY.

Man: YOU'VE DONE PUBLIC ART PROJECTS IN BARBERSHOPS,

IN TAXI CABS, IN BASKETBALL COURTS.

IS THIS THE FIRST TIME YOU DO A PROJECT

WITHIN A DOMESTIC SETTING?

Osorio: NO, I'VE WORKED IN SANTA BARBARA.

IT WAS CALLED "STATE OF PRESERVATION."

AND IT WAS ABOUT PLASTIC.

I WENT WITH THE WHOLE ISSUE

OF THE STEREOTYPICAL IMAGERY OF LATINO FAMILY USING PLASTIC.

AND I WENT INTO THIS VERY OPEN-MINDED FAMILY,

A VERY WEALTHY FAMILY,

AND WE PLASTIFIED THE WHOLE HOUSE.

[ LAUGHTER ]

AND THEY LIVED LIKE THAT FOR ABOUT THREE MONTHS.

EVERY SINGLE PRECIOUS OBJECT WAS PLASTIFIED.

AND IT WAS INCREDIBLE --

THEY WERE REALLY OPEN-MINDED PEOPLE.

"HOME VISITS," IT'S LOOSELY ROOTED IN RELIGIOUS,

POPULAR TRADITION OF THE VISITING SAINT.

WHEN I WAS A KID, WE WERE VISITED BY

A NICHE OF A VIRGIN OF GUADALUPE,

SENT BY THE CHURCH.

AND I THOUGHT, WHAT ABOUT THE SAME THING

WITH CONTEMPORARY ART?

IT ALMOST LOOKS LIKE THERE'S FLAME IN THERE.

Osorio: WHY CAN'T CONTEMPORARY ART VISIT ONE HOME

AFTER THE OTHER FOR THE WEEK?

THE IDEA OF THE NEW CENTURY, IT'S ABOUT...

A RENEWAL, FOR ME.

I WANTED TO GO BACK AND RENEW ALL THIS --

MY MISSION, MY PHILOSOPHY, MY WAY OF LOOKING AT ART --

AND I KNOW THERE'S SOMETHING MISSING THAT I WANTED TO FIND

OR CREATE AGAIN.

WHO'S THAT IN THE FRONT?

THAT'S THE...

[ LAUGHTER ]

TELLING A STORY.

TELLING THE STORY OF HOW IT HAPPENED.

THE STORY'S BASED ON TINA AND HER TWO DAUGHTERS.

TINA LOST HER HOUSE AND ALL HER POSSESSIONS,

DUE TO A FIRE.

SHORTLY AFTER IT HAPPENED,

SHE PUT A LITTLE BLANKET OVER THE GIRL.

AND, YOU KNOW, SO THERE'S A LOT OF STORIES INSIDE

THAT THE FAMILY TOLD ME.

I WAS INTRIGUED BY THE IDEA THAT I'VE GAINED SO MUCH,

YET THE POSSIBILITY OF LOSING IT OVERNIGHT.

SO, MOVING RIGHT ALONG, I'VE GOT TO TAKE IT

TO ANOTHER PLACE, ANOTHER OPENING.

I'M GOING TO MISS THE HOUSE,

'CAUSE IT'S BEEN HERE FOR A WEEK

AND IT'S GOING TO FEEL FUNNY

HAVING THIS SPACE OPENED.

SEE, THIS CHILD WOULD HAVE FELT

THAT SOMEHOW THERE IS ONE PIECE MISSING.

WHEN I GOT TO NEW YORK, I SPOKE ENGLISH

BUT IT WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH.

SO THEN I JUST FELT THAT SOMEHOW

I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND COMPLETELY WHAT WAS GOING ON,

BUT I GOT A PICTURE OF IT.

BUT IT WASN'T SO GOOD THAT IT DIDN'T GET

THE REAL PICTURE OF IT.

AND SOMETIMES I FEEL THAT I'M ETERNALLY, YOU KNOW,

DISPLACED, THAT I'M THERE, BUT I'M NOT QUITE THERE.

BUT I THINK THAT, AS AN ARTIST,

I'VE BEEN ABLE TO RESOLVE ONE THING --

TO FIND MY OWN PLACE.

I HAVE A VERY CLEAR MISSION.

I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED TO DO WITH MY WORK,

AND HOW MY DISPLACEMENT SOMEHOW SEEMS PERFECTLY FINE

FOR THE PEOPLE OUT THERE.

BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY OF US IN THE SAME BOAT AS I AM.

[ SPEAKING SPANISH ]

Woman: IT'S ABOUT REVEALING SOMETHING.

Man: AS AN ARTIST, YOU GO IN TO SEE WHAT YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE.

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