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Elsewhere Stuff.

In June of 2008, I traveled to Greensboro, North Carolina for a one-month residency at the Elsewhere Artist Collaborative. Elsewhere is a three-story thrift store, filled floor to ceiling with everything you could possibly imagine, in which nothing is for sale. Artists from around the world are invited to work in the 24-hour studio to re-curate the raw materials located within the space to create installations, films, and performances for the patrons of the museum. There is no air-conditioning, one bathroom, and roughly 20 people working in the space at all times.

Each artist-in-residence is requested by the directors of Elsewhere to create a ‘community service’ project to enhance the day-to-day working experience for Elsewhere residents, in addition to creating a large-scale piece (be it a film, installation, or what have you). In the past, residents have re-sorted the many bolts of fabric stored on the third floor, constructed outdoor wash facilities (for late-night showers), and built secret doorways leading to different areas of the space. I decided within several days of arriving that I would build a wood storage system, to replace the somewhat system in use when I arrived.

My proposed project was twofold: after examining the other works that had been created by prior visiting artists, I noticed that the majority of them utilized the reclaimed wood within Elsewhere to build a substructure, upon which a project was then constructed. I felt that by creating easier access to a material in such high demand, I could streamline that process for future artists. Additionally, in organizing and relocating the wood, I would be left with an empty room, in which I could create an installation of my own.

With the help of several of the interns, we quickly cleared a space on the third floor to store the material, and moved it up one bundle at a time. My room was now empty.

Meanwhile on the third floor, I installed two industrial shelves (which, incidentally, were too tall for the room. The ceiling had to be cut into so the shelves could stand upright) and stacked all the wood on them. Here are some shots of the finished product.

Following that, I began to create a large-scale, site-specific installation in the reclaimed wood room, utilizing found fabrics from the space.

In addition to creating installations, visiting artists are also asked to give ‘Artist Conversations’ for the public, as opposed to more traditional exhibition openings. ‘Conversations’ can take whatever form the artist sees fit, and are always completely different from one another.

Because nothing ever leaves Elsewhere, and the experience of working there for such a short period of time is so intense, I decided to recreate this experience for an audience through a series of short videos and projected images, accompanied by spoken texts, not unlike diary entries. To allow the audience to occupy the role that I had occupied during my time at Elsewhere, they were the ones to read the texts out loud while I projected one image after another, creating a narrative for everyone present..

Here are some shots of the audience during the performance; clearly, they're having the time of their lives.

Artist Conversation. *photos by intern Katie Minton

My performance, entitled ‘Goodbye to All That’ referenced the Utopian aspects of living and working in a shared community space, while also emphasizing the clear and present danger presented to the inhabitants on a day-to-day basis: it is an ancient building, and in some areas, it is literally falling apart. On top of that, no one really knows its complete history, and this history is being continually written every time more objects are discovered (a daily occurrence). This union of serenity and the unknown, of poetic beauty and potential violence fascinated me. I wanted to explore these extremes in my performance, and in a different manner, in my installation as well.

At once inviting and alarming, the installation (also titled ‘Goodbye to All That’) significantly alters the space in which it exists – a pleated fabric dome brings the space above the viewer almost to the floor, where in the center it dissolves into hanging ribbons, just barely touching a stain of red flocking adhered to the center of the room. Above this dome, lights and wires explode every which way. I wanted to create an environment in which one was uncertain whether the space was in the act of being created, or the act of being destroyed – but hopefully, drawing attention to the inherent beauty in either possibility.

The piece was built to be permanent in the space. If you (yes you) ever happen to be traveling through Greensboro, I encourage you to see it in person, as well as the many other wonderful works housed in Elsewhere.

Currently, I am designing a book of the photographs taken during my residency, which I plan to self-publish through Lulu. More information on this project to follow as it develops.