[ atmospheric electronic music ]
♪ ♪
- I UNDERSTOOD FROM A REALLY YOUNG AGE
THAT WORK HAD THIS POTENTIAL TO CONVEY TIME.
- I THINK MY WORK HAS PRINCIPALLY BEEN ABOUT CHANGE,
NONFIXITY OF THINGS.
- I THINK I'M INTERESTED IN ART
BECAUSE THAT'S ALWAYS DEALING WITH NEW POSSIBILITIES.
- WHAT?
WHAT ARE YOU GONNA SAY, HUH?
WHAT ARE YOU GONNA SAY TO THE CAMERA?
YOU GOT TO LOOK AT THE CAMERA.
THE CAMERA'S OVER THERE.
NO, NOT THERE.
IT'S OVER THERE.
LOOK, SUNNY.
CAMERA'S THERE.
I UNDERSTOOD FROM A REALLY YOUNG AGE
THAT WORK HAD THIS POTENTIAL TO CONVEY TIME.
IT WAS LITERALLY GOING TO THE TOLEDO ART MUSEUM
OR CLEVELAND
AND STANDING BEFORE A LOT OF THE MASTERS,
REALIZING WHAT THAT DEPICTED
IN RELATIONSHIP TO A NARRATIVE OF THE TIME.
THE EARLY PORTRAITS OF MY FRIENDS
IS BECAUSE OF HANS HOLBEIN.
I WAS LOOKING AT HOLBEIN
IN RELATIONSHIP TO MAKING THAT WORK,
ESPECIALLY THE IMPORTANCE OF A HISTORY OF AESTHETICS
WHEN YOU MIGHT BE PHOTOGRAPHING SUBJECTS THAT PEOPLE
DON'T REALLY WANT TO TALK ABOUT OR LOOK AT.
IT COULDN'T BE LIKE A DIANE ARBUS PHOTOGRAPH.
IT HAD TO COMPLETELY FOCUS ON THE BODY AND ALSO COLOR.
I HAD TO SEDUCE THE VIEWER IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
GIRLFRIENDS,I THINK, WILL ALWAYS BE ONGOING.
I THINK THAT IT'S GONNA BE JUST A COLLECTION OF IMAGES
THAT I CONTINUE THROUGHOUT MY LIFE HOPEFULLY.
DIANA NYAD IS DEFINITELY GOING TO BE
INCLUDED IN THE BODY OF WORK WHEN I EXHIBIT IT NEXT.
I LIKE THIS BLUE.
I THINK IT'S GOOD TO PHOTOGRAPH IT ON A DIFFERENT COLOR
THAN LAST YEAR.
THE PHOTOGRAPH OF HER BACK IS, TO ME,
JUST, LIKE, ONE OF THESE
PERFECT, AMAZING BEAUTIFUL PHOTOGRAPHS
OF THIS 61-YEAR-OLD, POWERFUL WOMAN.
ALL RIGHT, HERE WE GO, BUDDY.
ALL RIGHT.
I WANT YOU TO TRY TO GO IN YOUR HEAD
WHERE YOU'RE GOING WHEN YOU'RE SWIMMING, OKAY?
I JUST WANT YOU TO BE IN THAT PLACE A BIT.
OKAY, BLINK, AND THEN OPEN YOUR EYES.
[ shutter clicks ]
AND LOOK RIGHT INTO THE CAMERA, DI.
[ shutter clicks ]
- [ indistinct speech ]
- YEAH.
HOW'S THE LIGHT LOOK, NICOLE?
- IT'S GOOD.
HERTHE SHADOW'S A LITTLE DARK.
- CAN I SEE?
I LIKE THAT, WITH THE CAP ON AND THE GOGGLES TOO.
- I LIKE IT TOO.
- I THINK IT'S GOOD.
- YEAH.
- I LOVE THAT.
- THAT'S COOL.
- THAT'S BEAUTIFUL.
WELL, I THINK MAYBE I NEED THE 80 LENS.
YEAH.
[ shutter clicks ]
[ shutter clicks ]
I DON'T THINK THAT SURFERSWOULD HAVE EXISTED,
IN TERMS OF ME MAKING THEM,
IF I HADN'T MADE THE ICEHOUSES.
THE CORRELATION BETWEEN SURFERSAND ICEHOUSES
IS THIS NOTION OF A TEMPORARY COMMUNITY
THAT EXISTS ON THE WATER.
ONE IS A FROZEN TEMPORARY COMMUNITY.
THE OTHER IS A COMMUNITY THAT IS OUT IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
BOTH OF THEM CONTAIN THAT KIND OF METAPHOR OF WAITING.
YOU CAN SLOW DOWN.
YOU CAN STOP.
AND YOU CAN MAYBE EVEN HAVE AN ETHEREAL MOMENT.
[ birds squawking ]
THE TRICK IS TO NOT SPILL THE COFFEE.
IT'S OKAY IF THE CAMERA DROPS, BUT THE COFFEE.
I GREW UP IN SANDUSKY, OHIO,
AND WE LEFT WHEN I WAS 13 TO MOVE TO CALIFORNIA.
SANDUSKY, OHIO IS THE SOMEWHAT SMALL TOWN
THAT'S LOCATED RIGHT ON LAKE ERIE.
IT'S MOST KNOWN FOR CEDAR POINT AMUSEMENT PARK,
WHERE EVERYBODY FROM THE MIDWEST COMES.
CLEVELAND IS ABOUT 45 MINUTES NORTH OF SANDUSKY.
WHEN THE CLEVELAND CLINIC APPROACHED ME
TO DO A BODY OF WORK,
I IMMEDIATELY PROPOSED THAT I WOULD
GO AND PHOTOGRAPH LAKE ERIE,
AND SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE I WANTED
TO GO BACK TO SANDUSKY.
ONE THING I DON'T LIKE IS
HOW THE BIRDS GO IN MY HORIZON.
I WOULD PREFER THAT THEY WOULD GO AWAY.
IT'S THE FIRST TIME EVER THAT I'VE EVER BEEN ABLE
TO DO A PCE THAT IS ACTUALLY GOING TO
STAY THERE FOR THE LIFE OF THE BUILDING.
[ shutter clicks ]
THE FACT THAT I WAS COMMISSIONED
ALLOWED ME TO SPEND A YEAR
GOING IN AND OUT ON SIX DIFFERENT TRIPS
TO MY HOMETOWN
AND LOOK AT IT AGAIN
THROUGH A 50-YEAR-OLD PHOTOGRAPHER'S EYES.
I DON'T REALLY LIKE THE WAVES BREAKING THAT MUCH IN IT.
AW, IT GOT ME WET.
[ shutter clicks ]
[ shutter clicks ]
EVERY SEASON THAT'S REPRESENTED IN THE PCE
IS FOUR PHOTOGRAPHS OF THAT SEASON.
EXCEPT FOR WINTER HAS FIVE.
AND WINTER HAS FIVE, SPECIFICALLY,
BECAUSE WE ALWAYS THINK THAT THE FROZEN LANDSCAPE
WILL NEVER DISAPPEAR.
THIS IS SUNRISE.
THIS IS SUNSET.
THIS IS SUNRISE IN THE SAME LOCATION.
YOU'LL SEE THE FOOT TRACKS HERE.
I LOVE THAT A CAREFUL VIEWER WILL PICK UP THAT LITTLE MOMENT
THAT THAT IS THE SAME PLACE AT DIFFERENT TIMES,
DIFFERENT DAYS.
BUT I LOVE THAT THE LITTLE ANIMAL FOOTPRINTS ARE HERE.
AND THEN THERE'S JUST A SLIGHT BAND OF PINK IN THE SKY.
JUST DOESUGH ALL THESE CRAZY THINGS.
SITTING WITH IT ISN'T SITTING WITH IT FOR A LONG TIME.
IT'S KIND OF LIKE HOW I PHOTOGRAPH PORTRAITS AS WELL.
I MAKE DECISIONS FAIRLY QUICKLY.
BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I CAN WALK INTO THE STUDIO
THREE DAYS IN A ROW AND HAVE IT HOLD ME.
AND NOW THE BIGGEST QUESTION IS: "AMUSEMENT PARK OR SAILBOAT?"
NOW, I COULD DO AWAY
WITH THE CEDAR POINT ONE ALTOGETHER
AND GO TO THAT REALLY ETHEREAL FOG ONE.
SEE HOW ATTACHED I AM TO CEDAR POINT AS A PLACE.
IT'S PRETTY NICE.
[ laughing ]
IT'S A LITTLE SAD.
SO THAT'S WHERE YOU HAVE TO LET YOUR NOSTALGIA GO AWAY,
IF YOU CAN.
I DON'T KNOW.
[ laughs ]
I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN LET
I THINK SO, ULTIMATELY, TO MAKE A BETTER PCE, YEAH.
SO...
THE FACT THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE IN A HOSPITAL SETTING
THAT CAN BE LIFE-CHANGING FOR PEOPLE
FOR EITHER GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS.
TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A PLACE THAT'S ETHEREAL
TO ALMOST ESCAPE TO.
AND I THINK OF CHANGE IN A CERTAIN WAY
AS ESCAPE IN MY MIND.
LIKE, THEY WEIGH OUT TO BE A LITTLE BIT OF THE SAME.
AND I SUPPOSE THAT'S, UM THAT MIGHT BE MORE PERSONAL.
YOU KNOW?
IT MIGHT HAVE
IT MIGHT HAVE MORE OF A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP
TO ACTUALLY WHAT THIS PLACE DID TO ME WHEN I WAS A KID
WAS THAT I WAS ALLOWED TO ESCAPE, SOMETIMES,
SITUATIONS THAT WERE REALLY HARD ON ME
ON AN EMOTIONAL LEVEL WITHIN OUR FAMILY.
AND LITERALLY, I USED THE LANDSCAPE
TO CHANGE MY EMOTIONAL STATE.
AND I THINK THAT THAT KIND OF COMES UP FOR ME
IN RELATIONSHIP TO, OFTEN, HOW I PHOTOGRAPH A PLACE.
AS I FIND THIS, WHAT I DEEM AS A
AS A SAFE PLACE TO GO.
[ indistinct announcements over P.A. ]
THERE WERE YEARS THAT I EMPTIED OUT AMERICAN CITIES.
AND WHAT I MEAN BY EMPTYING OUT,
THAT I JUST WANTED TO LOOK
AT THE SPECIFICITY OF IDENTITY THROUGH THE ARCHITECTURE.
AND SO THERE WEREN'T PEOPLE IN THOSE BIG PANORAMAS.
I THINK IT STARTED WITH THE BODY OF WORK
IN AND AROUND HOME.
I WAS BACK ON THE STREET WITH A CAMERA IN MY HAND
LIKE I WAS IN THE EARLY '80s IN SAN FRANCISCO.
AND I WAS LOOKING AT THESE GROUPS OF PEOPLE
THAT HAD COME TOGETHER,
EITHER TO CELEBRATE U.S.C.
FOOTBALL
OR MARTIN LUTHER KING
OR A RALLY AGAINST 31 REGISTERED SEX OFFENDERS.
I REALIZED THAT IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR ME
TO NO LONGER EMPTY OUT THE LANDSCAPE.
BUT TO FULFILL THIS OTHER KIND OF NOTION
OF CREATING DOCUMENTS OF OUR TIME.
I REALLY WANTED TO MAKE AMERICAN LANDSCAPES,
THE NOTION OF AMERICAN LANDSCAPE
IN TERMS OF AN IDENTITY.
[ birds chirping ]
OH, MY GOSH.
THE TREES ARE AMAZING.
- OH, YEAH.
WISTERIA?
- NO.
- NO?
- JACARANDAS.
- OH, RIGHT.
- YEAH, WISTERIA'S KIND OF A VINE THAT GROWS OVER THINGS.
- OH, YEAH.
WHAT
- BUT PEOPLE FROM THE MIDWEST SAY, "JACK-UH-RAN-DUH."
[ sniffs ]
OKAY, LET'S GO SEE OUR GARAGE FRIENDS
AND SEE IF THEY'RE NICE
AND LET ME TAKE A PICTURE OF THEM.
IT'S KIND OF A PERFECT PORTRAIT DAY.
- MM-HMM.
- HEY, GUYS.
HOW'S IT GOING?
HEY, HOW ARE YOU DOING TODAY?
YOU KNOW, I LIVE UP THE STREET,
AND I ALWAYS COME HERE AND GET MY TIRES FIXED.
I'M DOING A PHOTO SERIES
OF SHOPKEEPERS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I WAS WONDERING IF I COULD DO A PORTRAIT OF YOU.
OKAY.
OKAY, READY?
RIGHT HERE WITH ME.
JUST RELAX.
[ shutter clicks ]
GOOD.
LET ME LOOK AT THAT.
AH...VERY GOOD.
NOW, RIGHT HERE.
OKAY, MUY BIEN.
THAT'S IT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
- HAVE A GOOD TIME.
THANK YOU.
- YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
I REALLY SHOULD LEARN HOW TO SPEAK SPANISH.
- I KNOW.
- IT'S REALLY RIDICULOUS.
I LIVE IN LOS ANGELES, AND I CAN'T SPEAK SPANISH.
YOU STUDIED FRENCH.
- I KNOW.
- WHAT GOOD IS THAT FOR YOU HERE, HUH?
I STUDIED GERMAN.
IT'S NOT REALLY WORKING FOR US, OUR LANGUAGES.
- I KNOW.
- SEE WHY THAT WHAT HAPPENED WITH THAT?
[ shutter clicks ]
AND AGAIN.
[ shutter clicks ]
PERFECTO.
AND AGAIN.
[ shutter clicks ]
[ shutter clicks ]
LET ME LOOK AT MY FOCUS.
WELL, I LIKE HOW THE WINDOW FRAMED HER.
- YEAH.
- THAT'S NICE.
- YEAH.
- THAT'S A REALLY KIND FACE.
- YEAH.
- SO...
THE CURATOR JENS HOFFMANN
APPROACHED A GROUP OF PHOTOGRAPHERS.
AND HE WANTED TO EXTEND THE BODY OF WORK
THAT THE FARM SECURITY ADMINISTRATION,
THE F.S.A.
DID IN THE 1930s UNDER ROOSEVELT
THAT WAS HEADED BY ROY STRYKER.
AND ROY STRYKER WAS THE ONE WHO GOT DOROTHEA LANGE
AND WALKER EVANS TO MAKE
THESE GREAT DOCUMENTS OF THE DEPRESSION.
THE CURATOR JENS HOFFMANN
ASKED A GROUP OF CONTEMPORARY ART PHOTOGRAPHERS
TO BASICALLY BELIEVE THAT HE IS ROY STRYKER.
AND HE'S REEXAMINING AND INVOKING
THE F.S.A.
PERIOD OF PHOTOGRAPHY.
AND I CHOSE TO PHOTOGRAPH
THE SHOPKEEPERS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
YOU KNOW WHAT I THINK IS MORE THAN THE COLOR IN THESE
THAT WORK THE BEST FOR ME IS
THE QUALITY OF LIGHT, THAT I HAVE THE DAYLIGHT IN IT.
AND I THINK THAT WHEN YOU'RE BALANCING STROBE
WITH DAYLIGHT AND THAT'S WHY I TOOK DOWN
THE ONE OF HIM, LIKE, SMILING IN THE GROCERY STORE,
IS BECAUSE IT WAS TOO STROBE-Y.
AND THE SAME WITH THE MANAGER,
IT READ TOO MUCH AS PRESS PHOTOGRAPHY, ACTUALLY.
IT'S TRYING TO GET AWAY FROM KIND OF A JOURNALIST READ.
AND FOR ME, PART OF THAT IS
WHAT HAPPENS WITH LIGHT IN AN IMAGE,
THAT I NEED IT TO BE BALANCED BETWEEN STROBE AND DAYLIGHT,
FOR IT TO BE EFFECTIVE AND FOR IT TO WORK FOR ME.
MAYBE...
I THINK THIS IS A LOVELY PORTRAIT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT ONE WILL MAKE IT.
I LIKE IT, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A GOOD ENOUGH PHOTOGRAPH.
BUT WHAT I KNOW RIGHT NOW IN LOOKING AT THESE IS,
THESE FOUR DO SOMETHING
THAT I THINK THAT I CAN BE HELD WITH,
UM, YOU KNOW, THE NEXT DAY COMING INTO THE STUDIO
AND THE NEXT DAY.
BUT AS YOU MAKE MORE, THAT'S THE THING WITH EDITING,
THEN YOU GO, LIKE, "OH, WELL, THIS ISN'T GONNA WORK NOW."
YOU JUST MOVE IT AROUND AND YOU MOVE IT AROUND
UNTIL IT FEELS LIKE THIS RIGHT BALANCE TO YOU.
OH, MY GOSH.
HE'S GETTING SO CUTE.
- RANDY HEAVY.
- ARE YOU HEAVY?
LOOK AT IT.
DO YOU WANT TO SEE THE DOG?
OOH, I CAN'T BELIEVE IT CLEARED UP THE WAY IT DID.
- I KNOW.
THE SUN STARTED COMING OUT.
I WAS LIKE, "WOW."
- I KNOW.
OKAY, YOU WANT TO YOU WANT TO GO PICK STUFF, BUD?
LET'S GO TO THE GARDEN.
- WE'RE GONNA GO TO THE GARDEN.
- NO.
- UH-OH.
- YEAH, THEN YOU CAN COME BACK AND PLAY WITH YOUR FRIENDS.
- CAN I GO TOO, DADDY?
- HUH?
- CAN I GO TOO?
- YEAH, YOU GUYS CAN GO.
YOU CAN GO.
- NO PRACTICE TODAY
- I KNOW.
- SO YOU'RE FREE.
- YEAH, YOU WANT TO COME DOWN TO THE GARDEN?
YOU GUYS HAVEN'T BEEN TO THE GARDEN IN AWHILE.
HEY, OLIVER, DO YOU WANT TO GET YOUR SCOOTER?
- I'M FINE.
- NO?
OKAY.
AGH!
OH!
ASHLEY!
[ laughs ]
SEE, THIS IS WHY I NEED TO START PLAYING CATCH WITH OLIVER.
HUH?
- LOOK.
- ONE OF THE THINGS THAT DRIVES ME AS A PHOTOGRAPHER
IS JUST EXTREME CURIOSITY.
ALL RIGHT.
ARE YOU TALLER THAN ME NOW?
- I THINK THAT'S IT.
ALMOST.
- OH, MY GOD.
YOU ARE.
- ALL RIGHT, THAT'S IT.
- EARLY ON, I WAS ALWAYS LOOKING
AT THE FORMATION OF COMMUNITY
IN RELATIONSHIP TO FINDING MYSELF WITHIN THE POPULACE.
ONE OF THE REASONS THAT I HAVE BEEN DRIVEN TO THE IDEA
OF CREATING MOMENTS OF REPRESENTATION OF MY TIME IS,
NOT ONLY FINDING MYSELF WITHIN THAT,
IT'S ALSO THIS UNBELIEVABLE HUMAN NEED.
NO WORRIES.
THERE YOU GO.
YOU JUST PUT THAT IN THE COMPOST.
SO IT SEEMS, IN A CERTAIN WAY,
I'M ALLOWING MYSELF TO GO BACK
TO THOSE STREET PHOTOGRAPHY ROOTS.
IT'S, LIKE, WHERE I LAND AND WHAT I OBSERVE
IS WHAT I'M MAKING IMAGES OF.
- LIMBO TIME!
- WHOA.
- RACE YOU!
- I REALLY WANTED TO PLAY.
- NO, YOU GET TO PLAY RIGHT AFTER WE WALK IN THE HOUSE.
- WHY WALKING INTO THE HOUSE?
- IT'S HOW THEY FINISH THE PCE.
THEY'RE FILMING US.
- WHAT?
- OH, LOOK.
I GOT A BOX.
- THIS IS A GROUP PHOTOGRAPH.
AND IN A GROUP PHOTOGRAPH,
YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT KINSHIP, YOU KNOW.
KINSHIP, IT'S A PARTICULAR GROUP.
AND THEN THEY HAPPEN TO BE CLOSE TOGETHER.
ORIGINALLY, THEY WERE SPREAD WIDE APART.
YOU KNOW, SO WHAT I'VE TRIED TO DO IS,
TO BRING THEM TOGETHER SO THAT THEY ARE A GROUP.
I COME FROM A FAMILY OF VERY MANY PEOPLE,
ABOUT 32 SIBLINGS,
ANDAND PROBABLY THIS IS A REFLECTION OF THAT.
I WAS BORN IN GHANA.
MY MOM DIED WHEN I WAS TODDLER,
PRETTY YOUNG, ABOUT TWO OR THREE.
AND SO I HAD TO LIVE WITH MY MATERNAL UNCLE,
YOU KNOW, A REVEREND.
AND WE LIVED IN A MISSION HOUSE OFF THE PRESBYTERIAN SCHOOL.
MY LIFE REVOLVED ONLY AROUND A MISSION HOUSE
AND THE CHURCH,
SCHOOL, CHURCH, YOU KNOW.
AND I REMEMBER THAT AS A KID, PRE-KINDERGARTEN,
I WAS INTRIGUED BY WRITINGS ON THE DOORS OF OFFICES,
YOU KNOW, OR EVEN CLASSROOMS,
YOU KNOW, THAT I SAW AROUND ME.
AND I USED TO SIT DOWN AND TRY TO
EMULATE, YOU KNOW, THOSE WRITINGS.
I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THEY MEANT, BUT, UH
AND I REMEMBER THAT THE LETTER "G"
WAS MORE INTRIGUING TO ME THAN ALL OTHERSALL OF
WELL, I DON'T KNOW WHY.
MAYBE BECAUSE IT HAS SO MANY APPENDAGES OR
IT'S NOT LIKE "C" OR THE OTHERS.
IT'S A "C" WITH SOMETHING ELSE ON IT.
YOU KNOW, IT WAS INTRIGUING TO ME.
I WENT TO ART SCHOOL IN GHANA,
WHICH WAS AN OFFSHOOT
OF THE GOLDSMITHS ART SCHOOL IN LONDON.
AT THE TIME I WENT TO UNIVERSITY,
I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT ANYBODY WHO WAS LIVING AS AN ARTIST.
YOU KNOW, YOU KNEW ABOUT ART TEACHERS.
I MET ART TEACHERS IN THE SECONDARY SCHOOL.
BUT THERE WERE MORE TEACHERS THAN ARTISTS, YOU KNOW.
AND THEN I WAS WONDERING HOW ONE WAS GOING TO BE
AN ARTIST LIVING PURELY ON ART.
WE KNEW ABOUT DOCTORS.
WE KNEW ABOUT LAWYERS.
I CONSTANTLY KEPT THINKING,
"WHAT PRECISELY DO YOU DO AS AN ARTIST?"
I THINK THAT HAS HELPED FOCUS ME A LOT, YOU KNOW,
AT LEAST TO CONCENTRATE ON THE PRACTICE OF ART
AND SEE WHAT I CAN GET OUT OF IT.
AS A MATTER OF PRINCIPLE,
I DO NOT PROVIDE INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
FOR MY WORKS.
THERE'S NO ONE PARTICULAR WAY
THAT THESE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE INSTALLED.
- SO TO THE LEFT A LITTLE BIT.
RIGHT THERE.
ALL RIGHT, SPEAR AWAY.
- SINCE THEY ARE SO FREE AND SO LOOSE AND SO FLEXIBLE,
IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO HAVE A SPECIFIC FORMAT
FOR ANY ONE OF THEM AT ANYTIME.
- I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER SPACE THAT I CAN HIT.
- AMANDA?
- YEAH?
- OKAY IF WE START SNIPPING THE TIES OFF?
- I THINK IT IS, YEAH.
- OKAY.
YEAH.
START SNIPPING THOSE TIES.
WHEN THEY LIFT THAT BAR OUT,
YOU'RE GONNA NEED TO LIFT UP THE WORK, YEAH.
- WE'RE GOOD.
LIFT UP THE BAR.
[ tool whirring ]
- STRESSED WORLDIS THE TITLE THAT I GIVE MY CURRENT WORK.
YEAH, I WANT TO CREATE SOME...
SOME CRAZY HERE.
- YEAH.
- YEAH.
OKAY.
OKAY.
OKAY.
THERE ARE SO MANY CONFLICTS GOING ON IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW,
MAN-MADE CONFLICTS, NATURAL CONFLICTS:
EARTHQUAKES, TSUNAMIS, WARS.
I'M NOT SURE ABOUT ALL THESE
LEAVE YOU IN A STATE OF KIND OF SIEGE.
YEAH, YOUR MIND IS IN A STATE OF SIEGE.
I THINK IT'S OKAY.
- IT'S NICE.
[ metal clinking ]
- BE CAREFUL OF YOUR WRISTS, MAN.
- THE MEDIA I'VE WORKED WITH SO FAR HAVE BEEN
METAL, CERAMIC, AND WOOD IN DIFFERENT FORMS.
WORKING WITH STRIPS OF WOOD,
I CHANGED MY APPROACH A LITTLE BIT,
YOU KNOW, BY WORKING NOT WITH STRIPS OF WOOD THAT'S PROCESSED,
BUT THEN WOOD WHICH HAS BEEN USED BY HUMANS...
AND THEN TRANSFORM IT INTO SOMETHING
THAT YOU CONTEMPLATE,
NOT SOMETHING YOU USE.
I LIKE THE DRAPE OF THAT.
OKAY, SALLY, I WANT SOME RELAXATION IN SOME PLACES,
AND, YEAH.
- IT'S DIFFERENT EVERY TIME.
- YEAH, EVERY TIME IT'S DIFFERENT.
THAT'S THE WHOLE IDEA.
SUPPOSED TO CHANGE WITH EVERY VENUE
AND EVERY SPACE.
THE CERAMIC PCES BELONG TO A SERIES THAT I DID.
IT WAS CALLED BROKEN POTS.
IN MOST PARTS OF AFRICA, WHEN A POT IS BROKEN,
IT'S NOT THE END OF ITS LIFE.
THIS IDEA OF REGENERATION,
YOU KNOW, GIVING FORM TO NEW LIFE,
BRINGING ABOUT NEW HOPE, YOU KNOW.
AND I DID THESE PCES AT THE TIME THAT ALSO
ALREADY IN NIGERIA.
AND THE ECONOMY OF GHANA WAS REALLY AT ITS LOWEST POINT.
YOU KNOW, AND I THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS MY OWN WAY
OF AFFIRMING SOMETHING POSITIVE,
DESTRUCTION AS A PREREQUISITE FOR NEW IDEAS OR FOR NEW GROWTH.
WHEN I STARTED WORKING WITH THE BOTTLE CAPS,
I WAS PURELY DOING SCULPTURE.
AND SOMEHOW, INADVERTENTLY,
THE COLOR SCHEME OF THE BOTTLE CAPS
HAPPENED TO REPLICATE THAT OF A VERY POPULAR FABRIC IN GHANA,
THE KENTE CLOTH.
COLORS OF KENTE CLOTH ARE TRADITIONALLY
THE REDS, THE BLACKS, THE Ă©LOWS.
THAT CREATED PROBLEMS,
BECAUSE WHEN PEOPLE START LOOKING AT IT AS TEXTILES,
THE TENDENCY IS FOR THEM TO STOP
LOOKING FOR ANY MEANING BEYOND THAT.
WHAT ARE BOTTLE CAPS?
LIQUOR.
HOW DID LIQUOR COME INTO MY CULTURE?
AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
THREE CONTINENTS HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH
THE INITIAL IDEAS THAT I HAD ABOUT BOTTLE CAPS.
WHEN THE EUROPEAN TRADERS CAME TO AFRICA FOR THE FIRST TIME,
THEY BROUGHT ITEMS TO TRADE WITH,
THINGS LIKE DRINK,
BECAUSE, EVENTUALLY,
DRINKS WERE EXCHANGED FOR SLAVES WHO WERE BROUGHT TO AMERICA
TO GROW MORE COTTON AND SUGARCANE
TO MAKE MORE DRINK AND THEN SHIP TO EUROPE.
SO THE IDEA OF THREE CONTINENTS, YOU KNOW,
AND HOW DRINK WAS A LINK FACTOR BETWEEN THE THREE.
WHEN I STARTED WORKING WITH THESE BOTTLE CAPS,
I THOUGHT IT WAS GONNA BE A VERY SHORT RUN.
THEN AS TIME WENT ON,
I SAW THAT THE POSSIBILITIES ARE JUST ENDLESS.
INITIALLY, I WASN'T CONCERNED WITH COLOR.
NOW I'M CONCERNED WITH COLOR LIKE A PAINTER.
EVEN THE MODES OF DISPLAY, THEY ARE BEGINNING TO EXPAND.
THEY HAPPEN TO BE DISPLAYED PREDOMINANTLY ON THE WALL.
[ laughs ]
BUT IT COULD BE ON ANYTHING.
IT COULD BE ON THE FLOOR.
I'VE SHOWED A COUPLE OF THEM ON HEDGES, YOU KNOW, ON PLANTS.
YOU KNOW, THE CONCERNS OF A SCULPTOR
AND THE CONCERNS OF A PAINTER
ARE INHERENT IN EACH OF THE WORKS THAT I DO.
I WENT TO NIGERIA BECAUSE I HAD AN APPOINTMENT
TO TEACH IN THE UNIVERSITY.
I'VE LIVED IN NIGERIA ABOUT 36 YEARS NOW.
MY ASSISTANTS ARE YOUNG MEN
FROM AROUND THE VICINITY OF THE STUDIO.
BASICALLY, THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO JUST FINISHED HIGH SCHOOL
AND AWAITING ENTRY INTO UNIVERSITY.
IT TAKES QUITE SOME TIME
FOR PEOPLE TO PASS THE UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE EXAM.
AND SO WHILE THEY ARE WAITING AND PREPARING FOR THAT DAY,
FIND TIME TO HELP ME IN THE STUDIO
AND EARN SOMEA LIVING.
PROBABLY BECAUSE I PAY SO WELL
THAT A LOT OF THEM DO COME TO ASK WHETHER THEY COULD HELP.
ANYBODY I BRING IN HAS TO UNDERGO SOME BASIC TRAINING
ON HOW TO STITCH THE PCES TOGETHER,
SOME BASIC SKILLS.
THE WHOLE PROCESS AND END PRODUCT
ALL HAVE TO DO WITH FREEDOM, FLEXIBILITY, YOU KNOW.
SO RIGHT FROM THE INSTRUCTIONS THEY, YOU KNOW
YOU LEAVE A LOT OF ROOM FOR PEOPLE TO PLAY AROUND.
SO THE RESULTING WORK TENDS TO HAVE THAT FLEXIBILITY IN IT.
BASICALLY, I WORK IN THIS WAY THAT
WHERE I PICK A MEDIUM OR A PROCESS,
AND I WORK WITH IT FOR A LONG PERIOD, YEARS.
AND IT HAS TO TAKE SOMETHING MORE POWERFUL OR MORE DEMANDING
TO REALLY TAKE ME AWAY FROM IT.
AT THE BACK OF MY MIND,
I'M SERIOUSLY LOOKING OUT FOR ANYTHING
THAT CAN COME AND DISPLACE THIS.
[ laughs ]
BUT IT WOULD TAKE SOMETHING REALLY STRONG TO DO THAT,
BECAUSE I FIND THAT EACH DAY
I GO INTO HANDLE THESE BOTTLE CAPS,
THEY KEEP GENERATING FRESH IDEAS.
I LIVED WITH MY MATERNAL UNCLE IN A DIFFERENT TOWN
FROM WHERE MY FATHER
AND THE REST OF MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS LIVED.
AND SO I HAD VERY LITTLE EXPOSURE
TO THE TEXTILES TRADITION THAT WAS VERY STRONG WITH THEM.
AND IN ART SCHOOL,
WE WERE INTRODUCED TO ALL THE AREAS OF ART.
AND THE ONE THAT LEAST ATTRACTED ME WAS TEXTILES.
YOU KNOW?
[ laughs ]
BUT THENI FIND IT INTRIGUING THAT WHAT I DO NOW IS VERY MUCH
ALIGNED TOLIKE ME TRYING TO GET AWAY FROM TEXTILES,
BUT TEXTILES IS FOLLOWING [ laughs ]
FOLLOWING ME.
I DON'T KNOW.
I THINK THE IDEA OF RECYCLE, YOU KNOW,
I'VE ALWAYS KICKED AGAINST IT.
RECYCLING HAS TO DO WITH THE INDUSTRIAL PROCESS,
AND THAT'S NOT WHAT I DO.
I DON'T, FOR INSTANCE, RETAIN THE BOTTLE CAPS
BACK AS BOTTLE CAPS.
YEAH, YOU KNOW, A NEW LIFE.
AND MAKE THEM NOT OBJECTS THAT DO SOMETHING UTILITARIAN,
BUT OBJECTS OF CONTEMPLATION.
[ metal clinking ]
HERE WE GO.
COME AROUND HERE LIKE THIS.
GO LIKE THAT.
OKAY, IT'S A VERY LONG [ laughs ]
IT'S A VERY LONG ROUTE.
OKAY, SO LET'S START FROM HERE.
ACTUALLY, THE RIVER SHOULD BE EMPTYING OUT.
AND THEN THE SOURCE SHOULD BE - COMING OUT
- IN THE MIDDLE OF, YEAH.
SO THIS ONE'S COME.
THIS IS CALLED DIGITAL RIVER.
AND IT'S COMPOSED OF DIGITS, YOU KNOW.
AND SO IT COMPELS ONE TO ALWAYS TRY TO PLAY AROUND WITH IT.
THIS WAY.
IT SHOULD BEGIN TO SWING BACK... YEAH.
SO THAT IT WOULD END MAYBE SOMEWHERE HERE.
THE RIVERS FLOW.
THEY DO CHANGE THEIR COURSE.
AND YOU KNOW, THEY CUT OUT OXBOW LAKES.
AND ALL KINDS OF THINGS AND
YOU KNOW, I THINK MY WORK HAS PRINCIPALLY BEEN ABOUT CHANGE,
YOU KNOW, AND NONFIXITY OF THINGS.
YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT THINGS ARE THERE,
AND THEY HAVE TO GROW OLD AND CHANGE
AND DO ALL KINDS OF THINGS, YOU KNOW.
IT'S NOT BECAUSE I'M OLD NOW.
[ laughs ]
- SOUND WORK OKAY BACK THERE?
IT IS A BITTERSWEET HONOR TO WELCOME ALL OF YOU HERE TODAY
TO CELEBRATE A REMARKABLE PCE OF PUBLIC ART
BY ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST CREATIVE
AND COURAGEOUS PUBLIC CITIZENS, AI WEIWEI.
AI WEIWEI COULD NOT BE WITH US HERE FOR THIS UNVEILING
OF HIS LATEST WORK,
CIRCLE OF ANIMALS/ZODIAC HEADS.
EVEN THOUGH HE COULD NOT BE WITH US PHYSICALLY,
HE CONTINUES TO SPEAK TO US, TO DELIGHT US,
TO CHALLENGE US THROUGH HIS ART.
IN ITS SCALE AND ACCESSIBILITY,
CIRCLES OF ANIMALS/ZODIAC HEADS
FOLLOWS IN NEW YORK CITY'S PROUD TRADITION
OF PRESENTING UNFORGETTABLE PUBLIC ART
THAT EVERYONE CAN ENJOY.
AI WEIWEI BELIEVES THAT ART SHOULD BE FOR EVERYONE.
AND WE COULDN'T AGREE MORE.
- WE CALL HIM, IN CHINESE... [ speaking Chinese ]
WHICH IS TEACHER AI.
AND HE'S ALWAYS VERY CONSCIOUS THAT
IF WE'RE LEARNING ABOUT SOMETHING NEW.
FOR EVERY PROJECT HE WANTS TO MAKE SURE THAT
THERE'S LEARNING INVOLVED.
AND IT'S NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, DOING ANY MENIAL TASK.
- HE GIVES A LOT OF FREEDOM, ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW.
HE'S NOT THE KIND OF ARTIST
THAT IMPOSES HIS CREATIVE DECISIONS
ON HIS ASSISTANTS AND COWORKERS TO BE EXECUTED, YOU KNOW.
- WELL, WITH ANY PROPOSAL WE GET,
WHAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO WEIWEI IS THE SPACE
AND HOW HE CAN USE THE SPACE.
HE HAS A LOT OF CRAFTSMEN
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WORKING WITH HIM.
AS HE WORKS DIRECTLY WITH US, HE WORKS DIRECTLY WITH THEM.
- THE STUDIO ALWAYS USED TO BE IN A STATE OF CONSTANT FLUX,
YOU KNOW, ALWAYS MANY PEOPLE COMING,
ESPECIALLY IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS,
THAT WE CALL VOLUNTEERS.
YOU KNOW, THEY COME FOR A CERTAIN KIND OF INTEREST.
MOSTLY CHINESE, MOSTLY YOUNG PEOPLE.
OFTEN ARE NOT RELATED TO ART AT ALL, YOU KNOW.
WE HAVE HOUSEWIVES REALLY COMING TO OUR PLACE
AND TELLING WEIWEI
THAT THEY THINK HIS WORK HAS SOME KIND OF MEANING
AND THEY WOULD LIKE TO BE A PART OF IT.
AND USUALLY, HE JUST
HE FEELS LIKE THAT THERE'S ENOUGH PASSION
TO GO THIS WAY, AND HE ACCEPTS IT, YOU KNOW,
- EVERY DAY PEOPLE ARE COMING UP TO US
AND GIVING US PROPOSALS
OF SOMETHING THEY CAN DO TO HELP WEIWEI.
YOU KNOW, AT FIRST WE THOUGHT,
"OKAY, MAYBE WE SHOULD STAY QUIET A BIT,
BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO UPSET THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT."
BUT THEN WE THINK, "WHAT WOULD WEIWEI DO?"
AND HE WOULD PROBABLY MAKE THE MOST NOISE OF ANYBODY.
SO I THINK WE STILL
HE'S STILL VERY CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT HE DOES.
HE DOESN'T JUST MAKE NOISE TO MAKE IT.
SO I THINK WE'RE THINKING
WE'RE TRYING TO THINK VERY CLEARLY
ABOUT THE RIGHT APPROACH,
BUT I DON'T THINK WE THINK THE RIGHT WAY IS TO BE QUIET.
- THAT'S TRUE.
DON'T BE QUIET.
- IT'S SAD NOT TO SEE HIM,
BECAUSE HE'S A VERY ENTERTAINING AND VERY CHARISMATIC FIGURE.
HE'S GOOD TO BE AROUND.
IT'S BEEN VERY STRANGE, OBVIOUSLY,
INSTALLING A SHOW WITHOUT THE ARTIST.
YOU KNOW, NORMALLY, THAT'S A PREREQUISITE.
AND YOU REALLY WAIT FOR THE ARTIST TO COME.
OBVIOUSLY, WE HAVE OUR OWN IDEAS
ABOUT HOW TO USE THE GALLERY AND WHAT WE WANT,
BUT THERE'S ALWAYS THINGS TO CHANGE.
WE DECIDED TO PUT THE POSTERS UP,
BECAUSE NORMALLY, AN ARTIST IS HERE,
AND WE HAD ARRANGED INTERVIEWS,
AND WE WOULD EXPECT HIM TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK.
SO WE THOUGHT THAT ACTUALLY GETTING HIS VOICE OUT THERE
WAS IMPORTANT.
AND WE JUST CHOSE A SMALL SELECTION
OF VERY PERTINENT, TIMELESS QUOTES.
AS IS WELL-KNOWN,
AI WEIWEI IS THE SON OF A VERY FAMOUS POET, AI QING.
HE GREW UP KNOWING THAT ART
WAS BOTH VERY POWERFUL AND VERY CONTROVERSIAL.
HE KIND OF RAN AWAY FROM THAT
AND RAN AWAY FROM CHINA IN THE LATE '80s
AND WENT TO NEW YORK,
HAD A PERIOD OF, I GUESS, REFLECTION
AND ABSORBING THINGS.
HE WAS MAKING WORK,
BUT HE WASN'T REALLY PURSUING A STRONG CAREER AS AN ARTIST.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THOSE TWO INFLUENCES
WHEN HE FINALLY CAME BACK TO CHINA IN THE MID '90s
REALLY SET HIM UP TO TAKE A STAND
AND ENTER THE CHINESE CULTURAL WORLD AND ART WORLD
WITH A VERY STRONG VOICE.
THERE ARE A COUPLE OF WORKS IN THE SHOW THAT, FOR ME,
ARE VERY IMPORTANT AND VERY POIGNANT.
THERE'S THE SECURITY CAMERA, WHICH IS MADE IN MARBLE,
AND WE'RE PRESENTING ON A PLINTH.
YOU KNOW, SECURITY CAMERAS ARE VERY PREVALENT FOR
IN ALL OF OUR LIVES.
THEY KIND OF ARE THE BACKGROUND TO OUR LIVES.
AND WE TAKE THEM FOR GRANTED.
FOR HIM, IT WAS VERY PRESENT.
IT WASN'T JUST IN THE BACKGROUND,
BUT HE WAS, YOU KNOW,
SPECIFICALLY UNDER SURVEILLANCE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
HE, IN ONE WAY, TOOK THAT QUITE LIGHTLY.
HE WASHE WOULD CHAT TO THE SECURITY GUARDS,
SORT OF PLAINCLOTHES PEOPLE WHO WOULD COME
AND STAND OUTSIDE HIS HOUSE.
AND HE'S SORT OF SHAKE THEIR HANDS AND
YOU KNOW, HE WAS QUITE RELAXED WHEN
WE SAID, "ISN'T THIS DISTURBING?"
BUT, OBVIOUSLY, IT IS DISTURBING.
AND WHAT'S HAPPENED HAS BEEN TERRIBLE.
THE OTHER THING THAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT THAT
IS THATWHY HE'S MADE THIS KIND OF MONUMENT
IN MARBLE OF A SECURITY CAMERA.
HE ADOPTED ANOTHER STRATEGY,
WHICH WAS TO PUT HIS LIFE IN AS PUBLIC A VIEW AS POSSIBLE.
WHEN I WENT TO SEE HIM IN THE STUDIO,
HE TWEETED, YOU KNOW, 20 TIMES
DURING OUR FIRST HOUR-LONG MEETING.
AND I GUESS THE PRINCIPLE IS THAT AS LONG AS
EVERYTHING IS OUT IN THE OPEN,
THERE'S NOTHING TO SPY ON.
SO HE HAD NOTHING TO HIDE, ACTUALLY.
HE WORKS IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.
BUT EACH ONE OF THOSE WAYS, HE USES IN ITS OWN TERMS
AND AS SIMPLY AND CLEARLY AND STRONGLY AS POSSIBLE
TO GIVE TESTIMONY TO THE WORLD HE'S LIVING IN.
[ indistinct conversation ]
[ cat meows ]
- HOW DID YOU DECIDE TO BECOME AN ARTIST?
- UH, HOW?
THE DECISION IS NOT MADE VERY
I SHOULD SAY NOT VERY SERIOUSLY.
I MEAN, THIS IS A
THERE'S NOT MUCH CHOICE THERE WHEN I STARTED TO DO ART.
YOU'RE EITHER NON-ARTIST,
WHICH MEANS YOU CAN BE A WORKER, FARMER, OR SOLDIER.
OR YOU BECOME SOMEBODY WHO,
AT THAT TIME, WHAT WE WOULD CALL ART WORKER, YOU KNOW.
SO SINCE I'M A BIT FAMILIAR WITH ART
BECAUSE MY FATHER,
SO I JUST PICKED UP THIS.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, NOT VERY SUCCESSFUL.
YOU KNOW, I SPENT YEARS...
MM, I CALL MYSELF AN ARTIST, BUT NOT REALLY.
I DON'T HAVE MANY WORKS
OR NOTHING PEOPLE WOULD APPRECIATE
TILL VERY LATE, YOU KNOW, 2004, I START TO HAVE SHOWS.
AND...WHICH SURPRISED ME ALSO, YOU KNOW.
YOU'RE ALWAYS SOMEONE.
YOU'RE CAPABLE TO BE OR
YOU KNOW, WELL, THEY SAY YOU CAN MAKE CHANDELIERS,
YOU ARE A CHANDELIER MAKER.
AND IT'S VERY CONVINCING.
I MEAN, IT'S MORE CONVINCING THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
THAT'S WHY THEY CALL ME POLITICAL ACTIVIST, I GUESS.
ACTUALLY, I NEVER REALLY RETHINK ABOUT MY WORK.
YOU KNOW, IT'S ALREADY PASSED.
IT'S A CROOKED COFFIN.
I THINK, YEAH, YOU CAN USE IT AS A TABLE TOO,
TO TAKE A NAP OR SOMETHING.
THE MEDIA IS THE MESSAGE.
I MEAN, IN MANY CASES, WHICH IS TRUE,
NOT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IN THE CLASSIC SENSE.
IT CARRIES THE FULL INTENTION AND THE MEANING.
ONCE YOU CHANGE IT, IT'S SO VERY DISTURBING.
YEAH, THOSE ARE REALLY ARE USELESS OBJECTS.
I'M VERY MUCH INTERESTED
IN THIS SO-CALLED USELESS OBJECT.
I MEAN, YOU IT TAKES PERFECT CRAFTSMANSHIP,
BEAUTIFUL MATERIAL,
AND CAREFULLY MEASURED AND CRAFTED.
BUT THE SAME TIME, IT'S REALLY USELESS.
I MEAN...
YOU NEED SOMETHING PEOPLE CAN REALIZE IS ART.
YOU KNOW, OTHERWISE, THEY THINK YOU ARE TOO POLITICAL
OR YOU'RE TOOYOU'RE
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
IT'S NOT ART."
OR "YOU'LL NEVER GET IT," YOU KNOW.
SO SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO SAY, "OH, I'M AN ARTIST."
YOU KNOW.
"I CAN DO THIS."
[ laughs ]
I THINK I'M INTERESTED IN THIS KIND OF ACTIVITY,
SO-CALLED ARTIST,
ONLY BECAUSE THAT'S ALWAYS DEALING WITH NEW POSSIBILITIES.
THE AUDIO COMPONENT OF THIS HARVARD BACKPACK INSTALLATION
IS THE READING OF THE 5,000 NAMES
OF THE DEAD STUDENTS VICTIMIZED BY THE EARTHQUAKE.
[ female speaking in Chinese ]
[ male speaking in Chinese ]
[ male speaking in Chinese ]
[ male speaking in Chinese ]
[ male speaking in Chinese ]
[ female speaking in Chinese ]
[ male speaking in Chinese ]
[ female speaking in Chinese ]
[ female speaking in Chinese ]
[ male speaking in Chinese ]
[ male speaking in Chinese ]
MY CARPENTERS ALWAYS NEED JOB.
THEY ALWAYS SAY, "WEIWEI, WHAT NEXT WE CAN DO?"
SO II REALLY HAVE NO IDEAS WHAT
YOU KNOW, I'M NOT A
I DON'T HAVE SO MUCH IDEAS.
I SAID, "THEN MAYBE WE TRY THIS BALL."
IT COME FROM PLASTIC PET TOY.
AND THEY SAID, "THIS IS VERY DIFFICULT."
SO I SAID, "OKAY, THAT'S THE PURPOSE."
SO IT TAKE THEM, LIKE, A YEAR OR SO, YOU KNOW,
TO TRY AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO
MAKE THIS STRUCTURE WITHOUT NAILS.
GRADUALLY, IT BECOME A GAME FOR THEM.
AND THEY REALLY LOVE IT.
EVENIT'S HAVE NO PURPOSE, BUT THEY ACCEPT IT,
BECAUSE SO DIFFICULT.
YEAH, I MEAN, SURVEILLANCE HAS A VERY CLEAR MEANING.
IT'S TO MONITOR, YOU KNOW
OR SECRETLYSECRETLY MONITOR PEOPLE'S BEHAVING OR...
BUT ONCE IT'S BECOME MARBLE,
IT'S ONLY BEING WATCHED.
IT'S NOT FUNCTIONING ANYMORE, YOU KNOW.
[ siren blaring, traffic ]
male announcer: NEXT TIME ON ART IN THE 21ST CENTURY...
- I TRIED TO BUILD AN OBJECT COMPLEX ENOUGH
TO START FEELING LIKE IT'S ALIVE.
- ALL OF THEM ARE DRAWN WITH EITHER A BUCKET OR A CAN.
- WITHOUT DRAWING, MY IDEAS CAN'T PERCOLATE.
- THE CORE OF WHAT WE MAKE IS ENERGY.
announcer: TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ART IN THE 21ST CENTURY
AND ITS EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES,
PLEASE VISIT US ONLINE AT:
ART IN THE 21ST CENTURY IS AVAILABLE ON DVD.
THE COMPANION BOOK IS ALSO AVAILABLE.
TO ORDER, VISIT US ONLINE AT:
OR CALL PBS HOME VIDEO AT: