One week to go...

Yesterday Nancy and I brainstormed further on the activities that will happen at each earthwork (what performances, photographs, burial, box filling, etc. will take place). What we found most interesting was that we both had clear ideas on what was going to happen at Spiral Jetty, Sun Tunnels, Roden Crater, and Amarillo Ranch but had not resolved Lightning Field or Double Negative.


Spiral Jetty:
Peanut Butter covered dress performance
Nancy's spinning performance (pink wig)
Dip watercolor paper for Hannah
Collect salt for nesting box
Bury object to be determined

Sun Tunnels:
Arrive in the late afternoon near sunset
Camera toss & another sculptural recreation
Headlights improvisation
Record Nancy Holt conversation while waiting for the sun to set
Sage brush for nesting box
Bury an object

Double Negative:
Nancy: "What's a double positive?" Jacinda: "It's still nothing."
Our version of MOCA's non-map
Can phones
Shoot out?
One solitary rock for nesting box
Bury an object

Roden Crater:
Binocular interpretation of the progress from 2 miles away
Briefcase performance (all black uniform with side burns and moustache)
Jamz Turrell performance
A huge unknown as far as the nesting box and object burial are concerned
Open for a lot of spontaneity

Lightning Field:
Sound recording
Videotaping of us while either a) lightning strikes or b) nothing happens
How can we incorporate the "rain" dance?
Another unknown as far as the nesting box and object burial

Amarillo Ramp:
Since one of the biggest characters is taking us to the ramp, we will also be two of the biggest characters he has encountered in a long time. This is all out cowboy day.
Grass, not dirt for the nesting box.
Object burial.

The uniform is almost resolved thanks to a little help from my friends.




Your turn Nancy! We are waiting....

12 Days to Go: Uniform Update

Nancy and I are both skeptical. I've decided that my uniform will change slightly as I abhor the thought of going as a cowgirl and dislike most cowboy attire. So my role will now be Hud meets JR (who hasn't worn pink since junior high but has to try something new with that cowboy hat I also have to alter). One hour later... its 2:45 AM and I just ripped off the plastic things on my hat band and substituted it with a "Good Luck" horse and a black gun. It's lopsided to go with the asymmetrical haircut. Let's hope the glue holds! There's a bad i-phone photo of it below looking like two different hats.

15 Days to Go: Uniform Shopping Attempt #1

I ventured into Rural King = the scariest store in Muncie. My friend Amelia says, "I love rural king because you can buy salt licks, bulk spices (including cumin), and armadillo traps all in the same place." I wish I could share her love but ultimately leave feeling queasy.



I am pretty skeptical about this uniform but did acquire: a cowboy hat, two bandanas (after consulting with Nancy about the colors - red and blue so we can trade), one Wrangler shirt, and a Winchester pocket knife. Thanks to Hannah for the advice. I have two more rounds to go (the regular mall and a couple thrift shops in Indy for some embroidered shirts = hipster cowboy is more appealing to me than Rural King cowboy). I think I am most petrified with the fact that I have to wear this hat on the airplane (i.e. in public) all the way through Minneapolis then to Salt Lake City. Yikes! What have I gotten myself into??

GATHERING MATERIALS

Petticoats - FOUND - and in INDIANA!! of all places

I think it was the vibe of vegas that really got me past the cowboy hat and boots. I wanted an OUTFIT! a full on "double take" outfit. a walking show. FREE. perhaps a spinning dizzy square dancer on the strip. ruffles, fringe, and sparkles  - flying round and round. I found the place DoPaso Corner, 9070 Goshen Road, Fort Wayne, Indiana, 46818, 260.693.6167. Approximately and hour and twenty five minutes from Muncie - Jacinda, it looks like it would be worth the trip.

The "Uniform" - What Smithson, Holt, Heizer, & Turrell Wore When Creating These Works

Finding what Robert Smithson wore was really easy. He doesn't look like he belongs in this space at all. There are two outfits (what do you think about combining them both or one take the role of the waiters and the other the black "I'm a NY artist" look?).


Smithson with Richard Serra, 1970


Smithson and the Construction of Spiral Jetty, 1970


Smithson and his waiters (I call, "Not It" on wearing this one)


I cannot find anything (as of yet) on what Nancy Holt wore. I surmise that this is her in the views of Sun Tunnels but cannot be certain. Whatever she is wearing, she is NOT trying to be a cowgirl or cowboy for that matter.

This is the Nancy Holt we will not be emulating:




Heizer is also easy to find. Here he is with Robert Smithson in Nevada in 1968 (I am counting on finding a white cowboy hat). Here's a more recent headshot.



And James Turrell... Oh! The black cowboy ensemble! Maybe you can buy the white gear and I'll buy the black and we'll really be covering a lot of territory.



What is so odd is that I really want them to be wearing something like in Richard Prince's Untitled Cowboys photograph from 2003. Dream on.



Of course we can always dump the whole idea and go looking like this:

SHOW DOWN

I've had visions of myself as a man on this road trip. The one who drives, gets the gas, farts and burps. And it never felt right, I'm not really up for three weeks of burping and farting and I have a feeling that you would never have agreed to take a road trip with me much less do it again had I decided upon to do this as a three week performance. 

Then I thought of myself creating these artists alter egos, perhaps giving tours of Heizer's, City or Turrell's, Roten Crater. And I may still do something like this (even if it is just for you, consider it a private tour) - BUT - I kept seeing Heizer and Turrell as these cowboys in all their photo shoots. 

And could not help but think of Richard Prince 

(flash back to road trip no. 001.) I believe that show was at the Walker? But the main idea here is the parallels between what Prince was doing in his photographs and how I feel it relates to these earthworks and these celeb. artist and (I won't come close to denying my obsessions as a fan of either celebs or artists). Combined with the history of western landscape painting as propaganda. I'm in love! And somehow all these things start clicking together even if they are in my own minds map of images and general understandings. SO - I needed to purchase boots and a hat before my departure. Jacinda, I hope you can spot me, I'm planning on full gear the first day. I have yet to decide if it will be the dirty cowboy look or a cross between Tammy Faye meets boots and fringe. I love fringe!! (Misha Barton in boots with fringe.)