Identity

PEOPLE'S HAND IN THE WORLD.

Man: I THINK THERE'S A FINE LINE

BETWEEN PERPETUATING SOMETHING AND QUESTIONING SOMETHING.

Man: I TEND TO THINK HAVING THAT EXTREME COLOR

IS AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL.

Woman: IT'S ABOUT REVEALING SOMETHING.

Woman: IT'S AT THE BASIS OF EXISTENCE.

HI, I'M STEVE MARTIN, AND WELCOME TO MY HOME.

AS YOU LOOK AROUND MY HOUSE,

YOU CAN SEE THAT IT IS FILLED WITH MANY BEAUTIFUL ART OBJECTS.

BUT WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME TONIGHT

TO LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE AND EXAMINE EACH OBJECT.

TONIGHT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THE WORK OF...

[ BELL RINGS ]

ALSO...

[ BELL RINGS ]

WE ALSO ARE GOING TO EXAMINE THE WORK OF...

[ BELL RINGS ]

AND...

[ BELL RINGS ]

YOU'RE PROBABLY WONDERING WHY I, STEVE MARTIN,

AM HOSTING A SHOW ON CONTEMPORARY ART.

YOU PROBABLY KNOW ME AS AN ACTOR AND COMEDIAN.

BUT I'M SO MUCH MORE.

I'M A WRITER.

I'M A PLAYWRIGHT, A NOVELIST,

AND SOMETIMES I'M JUST STEVE,

A NAMED BEING.

SO RATHER THAN TALK ABOUT THAT, JUST PICK A CARD,

AND JUST CONCENTRATE ON IT AND DO NOT TELL ME WHAT IT IS.

SO WE'LL PUT IT BACK IN THE DECK,

AND WE'RE GOING TO SHUFFLE THE CARDS.

I'M NOW GOING TO FIND YOUR CARD.

CONCENTRATE ON IT, AND VOILA!

WELL, I'M SURE YOU HAVE A LOT TO THINK ABOUT

IN TERMS OF CONTEMPORARY ART.

YOU CAN SEE THAT IT'S AN EXCITING

AND CHALLENGING FIELD.

CAN YOU EXCUSE ME FOR JUST A MOMENT?

ANYWAY, WITHOUT ANY FURTHER ADO, LET'S START OUR SHOW

AND TAKE A LOOK AT FOUR --

ONE, TWO --

ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR --

IMPORTANT CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS

WHO ALL DEAL IN...

DEAL IN NOTIONS OF IDENTITY.

Nauman: I DON'T GENERALLY THINK ABOUT LARGE AUDIENCES.

I THINK ABOUT WHO WOULD I LIKE TO SHOW THIS TO.

WHO WOULD I, THAT CAME OVER TO VISIT, WOULD I SAY,

"LET ME SHOW YOU THIS."

IF IT MEETS THAT,

THEN I FIGURE A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN LOOK AT IT.

OKAY, OKAY, OKAY, OKAY.

OKAY, OKAY, OKAY, OKAY, OKAY.

OKAY, OKAY, OKAY, OKAY.

ALL RIGHT, OKAY, OKAY, OKAY.

OKAY, OKAY, OKAY, OKAY, OKAY.

OKAY, OKAY, OKAY.

ALL RIGHT, OKAY, OKAY, OKAY.

OKAY, OKAY, OKAY, OKAY.

OKAY, OKAY, OKAY, OKAY, OKAY.

[ MAN HUMMING ]

LAST WINTER WE HAD A LOT OF MICE IN THE STUDIO.

AND I GOT RID OF MOST OF THEM.

THEN I WAS SITTING AROUND HERE NOT HAVING A VERY GOOD PROJECT.

SO I SET UP THIS INFRARED CAMERA AT NIGHT

IN DIFFERENT PLACES, AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

AND I'M GETTING,

OH, USUALLY THREE OR FOUR DIFFERENT EVENTS,

THINGS HAPPENING WITH THE MICE,

A MOUSE OR TWO COMING THROUGH.

AND THE CAT.

AND SO FAR THEY'VE NEVER HAPPENED AT THE SAME TIME.

AND THEN EVERY MORNING WHEN I COME IN HERE AND REPLAY

WHAT'S BEEN CAPTURED, IT'S LIKE A LITTLE MEDITATION.

BECAUSE YOU CAN'T REALLY WATCH ANY ONE PART OF THE SCREEN

OR YOU'LL MISS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS IN ANOTHER PART,

BECAUSE IT HAPPENS PRETTY FAST AND IT'S REAL SHORT.

SO YOU HAVE TO KIND OF NOT WATCH ANYTHING

SO THAT YOU CAN BE AWARE OF EVERYTHING.

THIS IS...

OH, A PROJECT I SAID I'D GET INVOLVED IN

PROBABLY ALMOST A YEAR AND A HALF OR TWO YEARS AGO

FOR THE WISCONSIN SESQUICENTENNIAL.

AND IT'S A PORTFOLIO OF PRINTS BY ARTISTS EITHER FROM WISCONSIN

OR WE'VE HAD SOME LIVED IN WISCONSIN

OR SOMETHING TO DO WITH WISCONSIN.

AND...

I LIVED IN WISCONSIN QUITE A BIT OF MY LIFE.

I THINK I'M ABOUT FINISHED WITH IT.

I JUST WROTE "WISCONSIN SESQUICENTENNIAL PROJECT"

ON THESE THREE PLATES.

I DIDN'T START TRYING TO BE AN ARTIST

UNTIL I WAS A COUPLE OF YEARS INTO COLLEGE.

SO -- AND I'VE NEVER UNDERSTOOD WHY I DECIDED AT THAT POINT

THAT I COULD, BUT I DID,

BECAUSE I WAS DOING VERY WELL AT THE OTHER STUFF.

OR I RECOGNIZED THAT I DIDN'T HAVE THE PASSION ABOUT IT --

MATHEMATICS AND PHYSICS -- THAT FRIENDS OF MINE HAD

THAT WERE DOING THE SAME STUFF.

AND I SAW THAT IN ART.

AND FOR WHATEVER REASON I SWITCHED.

I NEEDED A DIFFERENT WAY

TO APPROACH THE IDEA OF BEING AN ARTIST.

THIS RUNS AN HOUR.

AND THAT'S HOW LONG IT TOOK TO DO WHAT I WAS DOING.

AND I WASN'T SURE WHEN I FINISHED IT IF ANYBODY WOULD...

TAKE IT SERIOUSLY AS A WORK OF ART.

AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE DO, ANYWAY.

IT TURNED OUT TO BE KIND OF INTERESTING TO WATCH,

AND WATCH MORE THAN ONCE.

IN THE STUDIO I DON'T DO A LOT OF WORK THAT REQUIRES

REPETITIVE ACTIVITY.

I SPEND A LOT OF TIME LOOKING AND THINKING AND THEN TRYING

TO FIND THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY TO GET WHAT I WANT,

WHETHER IT'S DRAWING OR SCULPTURE

OR CASTING PLASTER OR WHATEVER, BUT PART OF

THE ENJOYMENT I TAKE IN IT

IS FINDING THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY TO DO IT.

Woman: HEY.

OH.

YOU SCARED ME.

HUH?

YOU SCARED ME.

SORRY, GOOD JOB.

Nauman: AND I DON'T HAVE ANY SPECIFIC STEP TO TAKE,

BECAUSE I DON'T START THE SAME WAY EVERY TIME.

THERE IS KNOWING WHEN IT'S ENOUGH,

AND YOU CAN LEAVE IT ALONE.

AND A LOT OF IT'S ACCIDENTAL,

THE RESULT OF CHEAP EQUIPMENT.

ACCIDENTS.

THE ACCIDENTS KIND OF KEEP IT REAL, TOO.

AND I LIKE THAT.

BUT IT'S WHAT KEEPS ME IN THE STUDIO,

UM, ALWAYS BEING SURPRISED.

SO THERE'S SOME JOY IN THERE, TOO.

WHEN IT ALL KIND OF WORKS, AND YOU SAY, AH.

MAKES IT OKAY.

WHEN I GOT INVOLVED WITH THE HORSES -- AND IT WAS,

I WAS IN MY 40s OR SOMETHING BEFORE THAT HAPPENED --

AND SO I HAD TO LEARN A LOT

FROM PEOPLE THAT HAD BEEN DOING IT ALL THEIR LIVES.

AND SO SOMETIMES IT'S HARD TO COMMUNICATE.

IT'S BEEN INTERESTING FOR ME TO WORK WITH THESE COWBOYS

AND RANCHERS AND BE AROUND THEM

AND THEY'RE HARD JOBS THAT THEY DO,

PHYSICALLY HARD JOBS.

GOOD GUYS -- TAKE A LOT OF PRIDE IN THEIR WORK,

AND THEY LIKE TO DO IT EFFICIENTLY AND CLEANLY.

IT'S NOT DIFFERENT FROM THE WAY I LIKE TO WORK IN THE STUDIO.

EVEN THOUGH THE STUDIO LOOKS LIKE A BIG MESS,

I LIKE MY MIND TO AT LEAST TRY AND BE EFFICIENT.

I REALLY WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME BEING HERE

WITHOUT THAT PART OF MY LIFE.

JUST BEING OUT HERE AND HAVING

KIND OF A REAL GOOD REASON TO BE HERE.

IT'S HARD TO NOT LET IT TAKE UP TOO MUCH TIME,

BECAUSE IT SURE COULD.

BUT THE OTHER PART OF ME THAT'S AN ARTIST

IS NOT GOING TO BE SATISFIED WITH THE RANCHING, EITHER.

SOME THINGS FLOW FROM ONE TO THE OTHER,

AND SOME CAN'T, OR DON'T.

THIS...

IN THE LAST FEW YEARS I'VE BEEN WORKING ON A --

SEVERAL PROJECTS, OR A COUPLE OF PROJECTS,

WELL, SEVERAL THAT INVOLVE

THE IDEA OF STAIRS OR BLEACHERS AND STADIUMS.

I WAS THINKING ABOUT HAVING A BUNCH OF BLEACHERS

THAT WENT UP AND DOWN, YOU COULD WALK UP AND DOWN.

AND THEN INVERTING THEM

AND HANGING THEM FROM THE CEILING.

IT'S SORT OF LIKE SUBVERTING THE FUNCTION.

I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT THE IDEA THAT YOU CAN MAKE SOMETHING

THAT APPEARS TO BE FUNCTIONAL, BUT WHEN YOU TRY AND USE IT,

IT DOESN'T -- YOU CAN'T QUITE FIGURE OUT

WHAT ITS FUNCTION MIGHT BE.

AND THAT'S, IN THE END, WHAT ITS FUNCTION IS,

IS FOR YOU TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO WITH IT, I GUESS.

IN FACT, THEY SEEM TO BE USING IT THAT WAY.

EATING LUNCH

AND JUST SITTING OUT IN THE SUN.

THERE IS NO REGULAR RHYTHM TO GOING UP AND DOWN.

YOU HAVE TO TAKE EACH STEP AND WATCH IT.

AND SO IT REQUIRES YOU TO PAY QUITE A LOT OF ATTENTION.

I'M NOT EVEN SURE IF YOU NEED TO WALK ON IT.

BUT, OF COURSE, YOU -- EVERYBODY DOES.

IT'S THE INTENTION THAT CHANGES IT FROM A STAIRWAY

TO A STAIRWAY AS A WORK OF ART.

BECAUSE I SAID SO.

I STUDIED MATHEMATICS FOR A WHILE,

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I ALWAYS LIKED ABOUT IT

IS THAT THERE WERE THINGS YOU COULD PROVE,

BUT THEY WERE JUST THINGS YOU PROVED,

THEY DIDN'T CHANGE THE STRUCTURE OF MATHEMATICS ANY.

THERE WERE THINGS THAT PEOPLE

HAVE DONE AND PROVED THAT CHANGED THE STRUCTURE

OF MATHEMATICS, BUT IT HAD TO BE REALLY CLEAR.

AND SOMETIMES IT WAS VERY ELEGANT.

HAVING TO SAY IT OUT LOUD,

HAVING TO EXPLAIN WHAT YOU'RE DOING,

FORCES YOU TO BE CLEAR.

YOU CAN'T KIND OF JUST FUMBLE THROUGH AND GET SOMETHING

AND SAY, "WELL, THAT'S WHAT I MEANT TO DO ALL ALONG."

THAT IS THE PART THAT I THINK ABOUT IN MY WORK --

MAKING SURE THAT WHAT I'M DOING IS REALLY CLEAR.

AND THEN IT'S AVAILABLE.

AND THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT YOU LOOK FOR,

YOU KNOW, YOU LOOK IN ART, AND THIS CHANGES THE STRUCTURE

OF HOW YOU CAN THINK ABOUT ART.

AND IT'S THERE FOR YOU.

AND THOSE ARE WONDERFUL THINGS WHEN YOU'RE IN THEIR PRESENCE.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE ARE, YOU KNOW, LOOKING FOR.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU,

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU,

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

Marshall: WE ARE AT -- IN THE 21st CENTURY,

AT THE HEAD OF AN EVER-EXPANDING PAST

OR AN EVER-EXPANDING HISTORY.

WE ONLY MOVE INTO THE 21st CENTURY

ON THE FOUNDATION OF THINGS

THAT HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED LONG, LONG AGO.

THE PRINCIPLES THAT GOVERN THE WAY

VISUAL REPRESENTATION WORKS ARE STILL THE SAME PRINCIPLES

THAT GOVERNED THE WAY THEY WORKED 500 YEARS AGO,

1,000 YEARS AGO, 2,000 YEARS AGO.

MAKES PERFECT SENSE TO ME TO GO BACK

TO THE ORIGINS OF THESE THINGS AND PICK UP FROM THERE.

TO TAKE UP THE CHALLENGE, REALLY, TO FIND ANOTHER WAY

TO MAKE THESE THINGS SEEM FRESH, EVEN IF THEY ARE NOT.

THE PAINTING "MANY MANSIONS," WHICH I FINISHED BACK IN 1995 --

IT'S VERY CLASSICAL STRUCTURE THAT THE IMAGERY IS HUNG ON.

WHEN I STARTED OUT, I MEAN, THE ARTISTS

THAT I REALLY ADMIRED, PEOPLE LIKE JERICHO,

THAT WHOLE GENRE OF HISTORY PAINTING,

THAT GRAND NARRATIVE STYLE OF PAINTING WAS SOMETHING

THAT I REALLY WANTED TO POSITION MY WORK IN RELATION TO.

AND SO IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE A SIMILAR KIND OF AUTHORITY

THAT THOSE PAINTINGS HAD,

I HAD TO ADOPT A SIMILAR STRUCTURAL FORMAT.

I THINK IN GENERAL THE PAINTINGS HAVE BEEN REALLY WELL RECEIVED.

BUT THERE'S A LINGERING CONTROVERSY

AROUND THE SORT OF UNEQUIVOCALLY BLACK,

KIND OF EMPHATICALLY BLACK FIGURES.

I WOULDN'T HAVE DONE THEM IF I DIDN'T FEEL IT,

BUT I TEND TO THINK HAVING THAT EXTREME OF COLOR,

THAT KIND OF BLACK, IS AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL...

AND POWERFUL.

THE FIRST PAINTING I DID WAS WAY BACK IN 1980,

WAS A PAINTING CALLED

"THE PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS SHADOW OF HIS FORMER SELF."

AND IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I HAD USED THIS SIMPLIFIED,

KIND OF REDUCTIVE REPRESENTATION OF A BLACK FIGURE.

AND SO THAT PAINTING WAS THE ONE

THAT ESTABLISHED THE BLACK FIGURE

AS A MODE OF OPERATING FOR ME.

WHAT I WAS THINKING TO DO WITH MY IMAGE WAS TO RECLAIM

THE IMAGE OF BLACKNESS

AS AN EMBLEM OF POWER.

AND I THINK IT STILL FUNCTIONS

PRETTY MUCH THAT SAME WAY.

I DO A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS,

BUT I DON'T FIND ANY OF THEM INCOMPATIBLE,

BECAUSE THEY ALL SORT OF REINFORCE EACH OTHER.

IT'S LIKE WHETHER I'M USING FILM,

VIDEO, OR ANYTHING ELSE, I MEAN, EITHER I'M WORKING WITH A SET

OF CONVENTIONS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN ESTABLISHED,

OR I'M WORKING AGAINST A SET OF CONVENTIONS

THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN ESTABLISHED.

BUT THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF MY IDEAS ABOUT VISUAL

REPRESENTATION COME FROM

PICTORIAL REPRESENTATION THROUGH PAINTING.

THIS LIGHT IS ACTUALLY GOING TO SIT

NEAR HERE WITH A BIG SUN ON IT.

SO IT'S GOING TO HAVE ITS OWN LIGHT SOURCE.

HI, CAN YOU GIVE ME A HAND?

BECAUSE I WANT TO PUSH THIS BACK.

THESE HOUSES ACTUALLY ARE PART OF A PROJECT I'M DOING FOR

A SHOW AT THE COLUMBUS MUSEUM, ENTITLED "ILLUSIONS OF EDEN."

THE THEME I'VE CHOSEN TO WORK WITH IS THE THEME OF HOME.

AND ESSENTIALLY STAGED IT.

WHAT I'M LOOKING AT, IN A WAY, IS HOW IMPENETRABLE

THOSE PLACES ARE TO PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT ON THE INSIDE.

THE WHOLE IDEA OF US REALLY BEING IN SOME WAYS OBSESSED

AT THIS POINT WITH PENETRATING THAT WALL,

FINDING OUT WHAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE DOING,

WHAT'S GOING ON IN THEIR LIVES, WHAT'S GOING ON IN THEIR HOUSES.

AND IS WHAT'S GOING ON IN THEIR HOUSES

WHAT WE EXPECT TO BE THERE?

THIS IS "IT'S LIVE," ALL THE WAY LIVE.

THIS IS THE BRUCE HOUSEHOLD.

Woman: OH, YEAH, THIS IS REAL...

OH!

Woman: HE'S GOING TO GET HIS.

Marshall: SOMEBODY'S GOT TO TAKE UP FOR YOUR MOTHER.

Woman: THERE WE GO, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW IT AT FIRST.

Woman: NOW, KERRY, I DON'T HAVE THEM.

Marshall: BUT THAT'S THE ONE, THAT'S A FAVORITE.

THIS WAS FOR MY 74th BIRTHDAY

FROM KERRY.

AND IT SAYS, "WHAT DID YOU GET SUPER T FOR HER BIRTHDAY?"

YOU SEE HOW SUPER I AM?

SUPER T.

IT SAYS, "LOTS OF LOVE, LOTS OF LOVE."

AND I LIKE THAT.

Marshall: THE DEFINING EXPERIENCE

I HAD THAT MADE ME UNDERSTAND THAT BEING AN ARTIST WAS

WHAT I WANTED TO BE WAS

THAT MY KINDERGARTEN TEACHER KEPT A SCRAPBOOK

OF OLD PHOTOGRAPHS SHE HAD CLIPPED OUT OF MAGAZINES,

CHRISTMAS CARDS, VALENTINES CARDS, YOU KNOW,

UM, ALL MANNER OF GREETING CARDS, ADVERTISEMENTS,

AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND SHE KEPT THAT SCRAPBOOK, AND IT WAS SOMETHING THAT SHE

ONLY MADE AVAILABLE TO THE KID WHO WAS BEST BEHAVED THAT DAY.

AND IF YOU WERE REALLY WELL-BEHAVED,

YOU GOT TO LOOK AT THAT SCRAPBOOK WHILE EVERYBODY ELSE

TOOK THEIR NAP AFTER RECESS.

AND IT REALLY WAS THAT BOOK.

IT'S LIKE THE DAY I GOT A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THAT BOOK,

IT REALLY CHANGED MY LIFE,

BECAUSE I SAT THERE LOOKING AT THE BOOK.

I MEAN, THINKING WITH TEARS IN MY EYES, I MEAN,

LITERALLY WITH TEARS IN MY EYES, THINKING THAT, WOW, IT'S LIKE,

THIS IS JUST SO AMAZING.

YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO DO.

YOU KNOW, I WANT TO MAKE PICTURES LIKE THESE.

I WANT TO MAKE PICTURES THAT AFFECT OTHER PEOPLE

THE WAY THESE PICTURES ARE AFFECTING ME.

Woman: I DON'T HAVE A DATE ON THIS CARD,

BUT IT'S AN EARLY COLLAGE JUST AS BEAUTIFUL.

AND IT HAS A BLACK FIGURE.

AND I REMEMBER ASKING KERRY DID HE MEAN TO HAVE THAT SPOT THERE.

BUT HE DID.

AND SO THAT'S HOW I BEGAN TO UNDERSTAND

THE MANY COMPLEXITIES.

Marshall: WHEN I WAS IN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL,

I GOT A SUMMER SCHOLARSHIP TO TAKE A DRAWING CLASS

AT THE OTIS ART INSTITUTE.

THE DRAWING TEACHER HAD A BOOK

THAT HE PUT ON THE OPAQUE PROJECTOR.

IT WAS "IMAGES OF DIGNITY -- THE DRAWINGS OF CHARLES WHITE."

AND HE SHOWED US THOSE DRAWINGS,

AND I HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT BEFORE.

BECAUSE PRIOR TO THAT, YOU KNOW, ALMOST ALL OF THE ARTISTS

I HAD ENCOUNTERED IN ART HISTORY BOOKS WERE EUROPEAN.

I THOUGHT, WOW, THIS IS JUST AMAZING.

HE SAYS, WELL, YOU KNOW,

CHARLES WHITE'S GOT A STUDIO UPSTAIRS.

AND HE SAID IT WAS OKAY FOR US TO GO INTO THE STUDIO

AND SEE SOME WORK IN PROGRESS.

YOU GOT TO SEE THE PROCESS.

YOU GOT TO SEE HOW UGLY A DRAWING CAN LOOK

BEFORE IT WAS BROUGHT TO THIS POINT OF REFINEMENT

AND FINISH.

THAT WAS WHAT WAS REALLY INTERESTING TO ME.

I MEAN, SEEING THESE STAGES.

AND THEN -- YEAH, THAT'S...

LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

ARE YOU SURE?

WELL, YOU GOT NOTHING TO LOSE.

Man: THE INITIAL IMAGES OF THE UNDERLAYING ALL COME FROM

PHOTOGRAPHS OF MY FAMILY IN CUBA.

THEY START AT ABOUT '38

AND GO RIGHT UP TO THE REVOLUTION.

Marshall: HOW DO YOU INTEND NOW TO

INCORPORATE THE PRESENT MOMENT, IS THAT IMPORTANT AT ALL?

Man: THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

PROBABLY A DUMB THING TO SAY,

BUT I HADN'T REALLY THOUGHT THAT ALL THE WAY THROUGH YET.

THAT'S NOT A DUMB THING TO SAY, BUT IT'S JUST

THE KINDS OF QUESTIONS I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN ASKING

AND HEARING SOME REFLECTION ON, YOU KNOW.

PART OF WHAT I'M ALWAYS INTERESTED IN SEEING

WHEN I COME TO THE MUSEUM IS NOT REALLY

HOW REFINED OR HOW FINISHED A WORK CAN BE, BUT I'M REALLY

INTERESTED IN SHOWING, ESPECIALLY TO MY STUDENTS,

EVIDENCE OF THE ARTISTS' THINKING

AND EVIDENCE OF THE ARTISTS' PROCESS.

SOME OF WHAT'S EVIDENT IN A PAINTING LIKE THIS,

AN UNFINISHED PAINTING, IS THAT IT ALWAYS,

IT REMINDS ME OF JUST HOW DIFFICULT MAKING A PAINTING IS.

IT CONFIRMS THE SUSPICION THAT I ALWAYS HAD --

THAT THESE THINGS DON'T COME INTO EXISTENCE BY MAGIC.

I'M GOING TO TAKE THIS OUT, PARTLY BECAUSE

WHEN YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT

THE WAY TO ORGANIZE THE PAINTING,

THERE'S SOME STRUCTURAL CONSIDERATIONS

YOU HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND.

THIS IS -- DEFINITELY THE KINDS OF IMAGES YOU'RE WORKING WITH.

THEY WILL ACTUALLY TELL YOU HOW TO MAKE YOUR PAINTING.

I MEAN, THIS IS ESSENTIALLY HOW I WORK

ON MY STUFF.

I'M ALWAYS REFERRING TO SOME OTHER SOURCE

TO GIVE ME SOME CLUES

TO HOW THINGS IN MY OWN WORK CAN BE ORGANIZED BETTER.

WELL, WHAT I'M DOING RIGHT NOW IS ACTUALLY --

I'M ACTUALLY DOING A COMIC STRIP IN NEWSPAPER FORM

THAT I COULD USE FOR A PARTICULAR INSTALLATION

AT THE CARNEGIE.

WHAT I HIT ON AS A SUBJECT WAS THIS IDEA

THAT WHEN YOU GO TO THE MUSEUMS TO SEE AFRICAN ART, I MEAN,

THOSE SYMBOLIC REPRESENTATIONS OF THE HEROES SEEM PRETTY INERT.

THE TRADITION FROM WHICH THEY COME

DOESN'T HAVE THE SAME KIND OF CURRENCY

THAT THE TRADITION OF GREEK MYTHOLOGICAL HEROES HAS,

ALTHOUGH THERE ARE PARALLELS BETWEEN THOSE TWO TRADITIONS,

AND SO I THOUGHT WHAT I WOULD DO WOULD BE TO TAKE

THOSE AFRICAN SCULPTURES AND RE-ANIMATE THEM,

IN A SENSE.

AND MAKE THEM INTO THE SUPER HEROES.

TO BECOME, YOU KNOW, LIKE A NEW LUKE SKYWALKER

OR A NEW DARTH VADER

OR A NEW BATMAN OR A NEW SUPERMAN.

NOW, WHEN I WAS GROWING UP READING MARVEL COMICS,

YOU KNOW, THE X-MEN,

THE MIGHTY HULK, SPIDERMAN.

ALL OF THOSE CHARACTERS WERE AMAZING CHARACTERS TO ME.

AND SO WHAT I'M ACTUALLY DOING

IS KIND OF REVERTING BACK TO MY CHILDHOOD, I GUESS.

I THOUGHT WHAT I WOULD DO

WITH THIS PROJECT WAS TO TAKE A FORM

THAT'S IN SOME WAYS ALREADY UNDERVALUED IN AMERICA,

TAKE A SUBJECT THAT'S UNDER-REPRESENTED

AND TRY TO FIND A WAY IN WHICH

WE CAN CARRY THESE TRADITIONS INTO THE FUTURE

SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO JUST DISSIPATE AND DIE.

Lin: LET'S GO IN.

LET'S -- WE DON'T KNOW WHEN...

ARE WE GOING TO...

THAT'S HORRENDOUS OVER HERE.

THEY THINK ART IS WONDERFUL BECAUSE IT'S EVERYTHING

YOU'VE EVER KNOWN, AND EVERYTHING YOU'VE EVER DONE,

SOMEHOW PERCOLATING UP, WORKING WITH IDEAS

THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO EXPLORE.

AND THEN YOU CAN JUST WAKE UP ONE MORNING

AND KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO DO.

THIS IS A VERY UNUSUAL ART PROJECT.

I GOT A PHONE CALL OUT OF THE BLUE.

IT WAS FROM AN ART CONSULTANT IN THE CITY, WONDERFUL WOMAN.

AND SHE SAID, "CONGRATULATIONS, YOU'VE BEEN SELECTED

"TO MAKE AN ART WORK FOR THE FREY FOUNDATION

OF THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS."

AND I SAID, "WELL, WHAT'S THE SITE?"

AND IT WAS ONE LITTLE CORNER.

IT WAS CALLED THE "PERCENT FOR ART CORNER"

OF SORT OF A VERY TOUGH PARK,

OR WHAT WAS LEFT OF A PARK.

THERE WAS A SKATING RINK

THAT WAS IN BAD NEED OF A REPAIR.

AND I SAID, I DON'T BELIEVE IN ART WORK,

ONE SINGULAR OBJECT IS GOING TO HELP RESOLVE THE...

SORT OF THE URBAN SITUATION OF WHAT THIS PARK IS

AND IS NOT DOING.

BUT IF THE FREY FOUNDATION IS AT ALL INTERESTED

IN HAVING ME COME IN, HAVING THE ART ACT AS A CATALYST

TO COMPLETELY REWORK THIS PARK,

I WOULD BE EXTREMELY INTERESTED.

I THINK THE IDEA OF A SKATING RINK

IS SOMETHING THAT JUST SORT OF PIQUED MY FANCY.

WHAT I ACTUALLY WANTED TO DO WAS TAKE AN IDEA OF SCULPTURE

AND GROW IT INTO A PARK.

I DIDN'T REALIZE I WAS GOING TO HAVE TO

WORK AS AN ARCHITECT AS WELL,

BECAUSE THE CITY THEN REQUIRED TWO OR THREE BUILDINGS

TO BE PART OF THE SITE.

A BANDSTAND,

A RESTROOM FACILITY,

I'LL HAVE PUT IN ALL THE LIGHTING.

YEAH, IT'S NOT, I WONDER IF YOU'RE GOING TO NOTICE THAT.

THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD NORTH STAR.

Woman: OKAY.

RIGHT, AND SO THEN WE EITHER GO DEEP, DEEP BLUE.

YEAH, THAT WORKS FINE FOR THE NORTH STAR,

BECAUSE IT'S OFF-BLUE.

OKAY.

I'M REALLY CURIOUS WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE WITH ICE ON IT.

WE'RE SOON GOING TO FIND OUT, WITH ICE.

I SORT OF CALLED THIS ONE THE THREE STAGES OF WATER --

SOLID, LIQUID, AND GAS.

SO THE LIQUID IS A WATER FOUNTAIN

THAT'S THREE FEET ABOVE YOU.

A CIRCLE COVERED WITH WATER IN IT

FLOWS OFF THE FRONT EDGE.

THE MIST OR THE GAS FOUNTAIN

IS A RING OF MIST THAT WILL COME UP,

AND YOU COULD ALMOST WALK INTO THE MIST.

AND OF COURSE, THE ICE IS THE ICE SKATING RINK.

THE GENESIS STARTED WITH WATER.

GRAND RAPIDS ACTUALLY TOOK THE RAPIDS

OUT OF THE RIVER THERE FOR FLOODING REASONS.

AND I STARTED TO PLAY WITH THE IDEA

OF BRINGING IT BACK A LITTLE BIT.

THE STARTING OF THE RINGS, THE TERRACED RINGS,

STARTED AS, IF YOU TOOK A DROP OF WATER

IN THE CENTER OF THE POOL, AND LET THEM COME OUT,

AND THEN IT SPUN INTO AN IDEA

OF AS MUCH ABOUT ASTRONOMY AND ABOUT THE STARS.

SO IT'S ALMOST LIKE PULLING THE STARS INTO A POOL OF WATER.

IT'S SORT OF A REFLECTION OF THE NIGHT SKY IN THE POOL.

ALL RIGHT, THIS IS IT, NOW CLOSE YOUR EYES.

WOW -- THIS IS NOT BAD.

JUST BE CAREFUL, SARAH.

WOW.

IT'S A PIECE THAT MARKS A VERY SET POINT IN TIME

AND CONNECTS IT BACK TO A SET OCCURRENCE IN NATURE.

IT'S UP AND RUNNING.

THE SKATING RINK'S ACTUALLY UP FIRST,

AND I'LL GO BACK IN TO FINE-TUNE THE LANDSCAPING, THE TREES.

MY SCULPTURES DEAL WITH NATURALLY OCCURRING PHENOMENA.

AND THEY ARE EMBEDDED AND VERY CLOSELY ALIGNED

WITH GEOLOGY AND LANDSCAPE AND NATURAL EARTH FORMATIONS.

IT'S ALL ABOUT A PLAY BACK AND FORTH

BETWEEN INSIDE WORKS AND OUTSIDE WORKS,

ALL TRYING TO CAPTURE THE LANDSCAPE.

THIS IS, THIS IS A GROUP OF ATLASES.

I BOUGHT ABOUT TEN OLD ATLASES.

AND I STARTED MAKING THESE LANDSCAPES,

CRATERS, IN THEM,

SO THIS ONE SORT OF HAS A DOUBLE CRATER.

SO YOU GO PAST, THROUGH THE FIRST CRATER.

AND THERE'S A LITTLE ISLAND, AND YOU OPEN IT TO THE ISLAND,

AND I'LL MAKE IT MORE COMPLEX ISLAND GEOGRAPHY HERE,

WHICH IS WHAT'S GOING ON.

SO MUCH OF MY ARTWORK

IS VERY LARGE SCALE OUTDOOR WORKS

THAT I LIKE TO RETREAT INTO THE STUDIO

AND MAKE A LOT OF THE WORK MYSELF.

AND THE TROUBLE IS THE OUTDOOR WORKS

AND THE ARCHITECTURE TENDS TO TAKE UP ALL MY TIME

SO I FIND IT VERY HARD, AS A STRUGGLE,

TO BE ABLE TO COME BACK HERE AND DO THIS.

THIS IS LIKE THE FIRST WORK I'VE DONE IN A LITTLE WHILE,

IT'S TERRIBLE.

WE HAVE GONE THROUGH A PERIOD

IN ART AND ARCHITECTURE, I THINK, MODERNITY --

INDUSTRIALIZATION, WHICH ALLOWED FOR SPECIALIZATION.

THERE ARE VERY FEW ARCHITECTS WHO ARE ALSO SOLIDLY,

YOU KNOW, HAVE A GALLERY.

I'M, PART OF ME IS AN ARTIST.

THE OTHER PART OF ME BUILDS ARCHITECTURE.

I'M NOT AT ALL WANTING

TO HAVE A LARGE PRACTICE.

I DON'T WANT TO "PRACTICE" ARCHITECTURE.

I LOVE BUILDING A FEW BUILDINGS,

SO I HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL WHAT I TAKE ON.

I'VE DONE SOME WORKS THAT ARE EXTREMELY PUBLIC

AND EXTREMELY WELL-KNOWN,

AND I THINK HAD I NOT DONE THE VIETNAM MEMORIAL,

AND COME OUT WITH THE BODY OF WORK THAT SINCE HAS COME OUT,

I WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BE CALLED

AN ARTIST ABOUT FIVE YEARS SOONER.

BUT BECAUSE I HAD DONE THE VIETNAM MEMORIAL,

IT WAS LIKE, "OH, YOU MAKE MONUMENTS."

WHATEVER THAT MEANS.

I MEAN, LOOK AT THAT ONE, THE BIGGEST ONE.

DEE-DEE-DEE-DEE.

DEE-DEE-DEE.

I DON'T THINK I WOKE UP ONE DAY AND SAID,

"OH, I'M GOING TO BE" AN ARTIST ON SOME DAYS AND AN ARCH --

IT WAS MORE I COULDN'T CHOOSE BETWEEN THE TWO,

NOR DID I CHOOSE TO BLEND THEM.

YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO THIS BETTER THAN ME.

IT'S TAKEN ME

A BODY OF WORK TO SEE HOW I AM DEVELOPING.

Woman: I DON'T THINK SO.

NO, IT'S REALLY, IT'S SOLID, IT'S TOTALLY SOLID,

BEEN ON FOR AN HOUR NOW.

IT'S KIND OF SURREAL.

I REALLY WANT TO MAKE THIS PIECE.

I'M ACTUALLY PLAYING WITH THE IDEA OF TAKING THIS IDEA

AND CREATING A WORK OUT OF RECYCLED RUBBER,

CALLING IT "PLAYGROUND."

IT WILL BE TWICE AS BIG

AS THE UNTITLED TOPOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE,

AND KIDS CAN PLAY ON IT.

SO IT IS THE MAKING OF A HAIRPIN.

YOU SEE, THE HAIRPIN IS INDISPENSABLE.

AND I NEVER HAVE ANY.

VERY GOOD.

SO, WE ARE ALMOST READY, HMM?

OKAY.

SO IN THE SCULPTURE FOR CHICAGO, THEN, THIS IS A SILENT WORLD.

THIS IS A SILENT WORLD.

ALL THESE THINGS ARE GOING TO GO AROUND THE HIGH BUILDING

IN A GARDEN.

AND INSTEAD OF TRYING TO RIVAL WITH THE HEIGHT OF THE BUILDING,

I HAVE MADE A STRUCTURE WHICH IS SO DISCREET

AND SO SENSITIVE

THAT MY SCULPTURE DOESN'T HAVE A BONE OF CONTENTION

WITH THE BUILDING.

THE BEAUTY OF IT

IS THAT THE BLOCK OF BLACK STONE

IS ONE WITH THIS.

SO THAT IS QUITE SOMETHING.

NOW THIS IS LOST ON A LOT OF PEOPLE --

THEY DON'T KNOW HOW BEAUTIFUL IT IS,

THEY DON'T HAVE TO KNOW.

WHAT I'M CONCERNED WITH THIS HERE IS VANDALISM.

RIGHT?

YOU SEE HOW FRAGILE IT IS.

JUST, I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU IDEAS NOW,

BUT JUST A KNOCK ON THIS, AND THE THING IS...

SO, IT IS A LEAP OF FAITH TO PUT THIS IN AN OPEN SPACE,

BUT I TAKE A CHANCE.

Man: HOW COME SOME HANDS ARE CHILD HANDS

AND SOME ARE ADULTS?

THE SUBJECT OF AUTOBIOGRAPHY.

AUTOBIOGRAPHIQUE.

IT IS THE HELPLESSNESS OF A CHILD

AND THEN HERE IS THE HELP

THAT THE GROWNUP CAN GIVE A SMALL CHILD.

ONE TAKES CARE OF THE OTHER.

THE WHOLE THING MEANS WE ARE TOGETHER

AND WE ARE NOT, WE ARE NOT ARROGANT,

WE ARE NOT ASHAMED OF OUR HELPLESSNESS --

IN FACT, THE HELPLESSNESS MAY BE A CHARM.

I DOUBT THAT, BUT I CAN SAY THAT.

I CAN SAY THAT.

I DOUBT IT, BUT MAYBE I DON'T DOUBT IT, I DON'T KNOW.

HELPLESSNESS CAN BE A CHARM, IT MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD

TO HELP WITH SOMEBODY HELPLESS,

EVEN THOUGH IT'S ARROGANT TO SAY THAT.

THEY'RE ALL BASED ON THE SAME SUBJECT.

AND THERE IS A MULTIPLICITY OF REASONS

WHERE THINGS ARE NOT BLACK AND WHITE,

THEY ARE VERY SUBTLE, THERE ARE LOTS OF GRAYS, AND...

SO, THE MAIN DIFFERENT THING --

FIRST OF ALL, THE FACT THAT THEY ARE BLACK

IS NOT A HAZARD, IT IS WANTED.

THEY ARE WANTED BLACK.

WHICH IS, BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL.

IT IS AN INVITATION...

IT IS AN INVITATION TO BE FRIENDLY.

I'M SUPPOSED TO COME HERE, HUH?

THE WRISTS, YOU SEE, THE BEAUTY OF THIS.

SO INSTEAD OF ADDING A BLOUSE, YOU SEE, YOU HAVE THOSE THINGS.

AH, THANK YOU.

OKAY.

SO, IT IS JUST NICE.

RIGHT...

AND THIS IS ALSO CROCHET.

IT'S A MATTER OF,

IT IS A MATTER OF CRAFTSMANSHIP, BUT...

SO, THIS DOVETAILS EXACTLY INTO THE CHICAGO PROJECT.

I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT JANE ADDAMS,

BECAUSE SHE'S A HISTORICAL FIGURE, AND IT IS,

YOU JUST OPEN A BOOK AND KNOW WHAT SHE REPRESENTS.

HER ATTITUDE WAS VERY LARGE AND VERY WONDERFUL.

SHE PROVIDED

WOMEN WHO CAME OVER WITH WORK.

AND SINCE THEIR FATHERS WERE NOT AROUND IN MANY CASES,

SHE MADE WOMEN USEFUL.

SHE MADE THEM INTO WAGE-EARNERS.

Man: WASN'T YOUR GRANDMOTHER A LACE MAKER?

Bourgeois: THERE WAS A LOT OF TAPESTRY MAKING IN MY FAMILY.

AND THERE WAS ALSO

LACE MAKING.

I NEVER, I TALK A LOT ABOUT NEEDLES,

BUT I NEVER SAT AT A LOOM, NEVER.

IN HER FEMINIST ATTITUDE,

MY MOTHER WAS VIRULENT ABOUT THAT.

SHE SAID, "YOU, MY DAUGHTER, WILL NEVER HANDLE A NEEDLE."

WOMEN ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE ONLY CRAFTSWOMEN --

THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE A CAREER.

Man: WHAT WAS YOUR FATHER'S IDEA, DID HE THINK YOU WOULD --

MY FATHER'S IDEA WAS THAT I GET MARRIED

AND BE A GOOD WIFE,

AND BE OFF OF HIS HANDS.

YOU SEE THE LITTLE HANDS INSIDE --

THEY ARE MY HANDS...

AS YOU CAN SEE BY THE SIZE.

AND HIS HANDS, THEN...

Man: MY HANDS ARE OVER LOUISE'S HANDS.

LOUISE'S HANDS ARE LIKE THIS.

SO THIS IS WHERE IT CAME FROM.

THE TECHNIQUE OF IT IS INTERESTING,

BECAUSE FIRST A CAST WAS MADE.

WE HAVE A BED OF PLASTER.

THEN JERRY

PUSHED MY HANDS IN THE WET PLASTER,

AND THEN WE WAIT UNTIL THE PLASTER IS DRY,

THE NEGATIVE PART, IS DRY.

AND THEN WE PUT SOME SHELLAC ON IT.

MAY I TURN IT, BECAUSE THIS IS...

SO WE HAVE HALF OF IT COVERED WITH THE SHELLAC.

IT IS DRY.

AT THIS POINT WE PUT ANOTHER,

WE POUR THE PLASTER ON TOP.

NOW WHEN I SAY THAT THE ORIGINAL PLASTER

IS MY FAVORITE THINGS -- COME, YOU SEE HERE?

YOU SEE THE HAND HERE?

AND YOU SEE ALL THE FOLDS, YOU SEE THE FOLDS.

ALL THE WRINKLES, EVERYTHING IS THERE.

SO THIS IS THE REAL DOCUMENT, THAT'S IT.

SO IT IS REALLY OUR HANDS...

BECAUSE IT MEANS, IT SHOWS HOW MUCH

I CARE ABOUT THE WHOLE THING.

IT SHOWS HOW MUCH THE EMOTION THAT THIS EXPRESSES IS TRUE.

IT'S AN EMOTION THAT HAS BEEN LIVED

AND THAT IS REAL, IT'S NOT SOMETHING MADE UP.

SO IN THIS CASE, SOMETIMES IT'S SWING, YOU SEE.

I SWING FROM BEING VULNERABLE, THE BABY ONE --

AND IN SOME OTHER CASES, I AM THE GUIDING ONE.

SO YOU SWING FROM BEING A CHILD, INTO BEING A GRANDMOTHER,

TO ALEXANDER.

SO THERE IS A LONG SWING,

THERE IS A WHOLE LIFETIME OF EXPERIENCE.

OF ATTEMPTED EXPERIENCES -- SOME PEOPLE NEVER GROW UP.

BUT THE ATTEMPT IS THERE.

Man: DO YOU NOTICE THAT ARTISTS

ALWAYS REMAIN CHILDREN?

OH, WELL, I DON'T HAVE TO IMPLICATE MYSELF,

I MEAN, IT'S NOT NECESSARY.

BUT IT MIGHT BE TRUE THAT THE ARTIST,

THERE IS SOMETHING IN THEM THAT EITHER REFUSES,

OR IS UNABLE TO GROW UP -- THIS IS POSSIBLE.

A WORK OF ART DOESN'T HAVE TO BE EXPLAINED.

IF YOU SAY, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN, YOU SEE?

WELL, IF YOU DO NOT HAVE ANY FEELING ABOUT THIS,

I CANNOT EXPLAIN IT TO YOU.

IF THIS DOESN'T TOUCH YOU, I HAVE FAILED.

Woman: THERE'S THAT MOMENT WHERE YOU CAN SEE IT

AND YOU THINK IT MIGHT BE BEAUTIFUL.

Man: BEAUTY EMBODIES WHAT WE CONSIDER UGLY

AS WELL AS WHAT WE CONSIDER BEAUTIFUL.

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