The whole story.
The latest series took a detour for a couple of days. My normal process is to work on the six pieces separately, as if they are chapters in the story. Time moving forward as the '“space between” gets revealed or filled up with experiences, words, gestures, feelings or impressions. But does it? Is there a logical sequence? Or is it the whole experience happening at once?
I decided to close the gap, as it were. I moved each piece next to the others and worked on them as one piece. The figures in the separate pieces had been cut off at the edges. I had an opportunity to extend them into another plain. Heads sprouting. Arms reaching. Legs dangling. And even “negative” space leaking out of its original confinement as slashes of color or dark lines meandered into other spaces.
For a moment, the story looked more complete. More literal. Bodies moving in and out of space. An altarpiece of sort. Co-mingling.
But that isn’t the space between. Not the way I see it. Recognizable symbols were telling the story. The story of the space between is non-objective. It’s about impressions. Metaphor feels more comfortable. That shape is like an arm reaching, but it isn’t an arm reaching. The focus is not on the figure, instead it is highlighting the forces acting upon the figure — the space that emanates from the figure perhaps but also beyond the figure.
There can be moments in the process when I like something — maybe even love the way it looks. It makes sense. But part of the process is moving beyond what is comfortable. Being willing to take a risk and make things worse. Let it go so it can be more.
So I’m marking this moment. Appreciating that I got to this point. Happy that I like it.
And now I’m embracing separation again.
Let’s see if I can tell the story in a different way. A more provocative way.
A new story.