Ephemeral

Reading about the new work of my former employer Gordan Halloran (Lotus in Motion at the Miami art fair http://lotusinmotionproject.blogspot.com/) I feel inspired to make a few comments on ephemeral art and its value. 

Early this morning I meditated on the concept of aparigraha with the help of Rolf Gates (www.rolfgates.com) and spent a lot of time thinking about letting go of fear. With snow falling outside and an open morning I sat before my modest alter overlooking the river. After awhile I gradually got my mind to stop running in a frenzy and start doing some internal maintenance, some stillness. Over oatmeal I reflected on the disturbances in my art -I mean heart. Afterward I blindly jumped into an emotional cleaning project of manic proportions. I have spent the better part of the day mining through digital photos, cleaning out and organizing my personal digital gallery. 

Sifting through "my pictures" folder has become a favorite past time of mine but the "paint" folder is a different story. It has remained near untouched since its conception. Organizing, deleting, comprehending all of the growth of an artistic practice is intimidating. I try to have a record of every one of my artworks. I have completed hundreds of paintings on cardboard, glass, postcards and canvas and have casually managed to distribute most of them; some for money and most for love. I've moved every eight months for the past five years and can fit all of my valuables in the back of my RSX. I give an art away to someone who has touched my life meaningfully. And when I return for a visit and see a painting of mine displayed proudly in a friend's home it is a heart warming talisman. I love creating works of beauty on materials that can easily fade away because it speaks to my spiritual understanding of the temporality of all things. An artwork's short and unique life makes it all the more beautiful.  

Ephemerality in artwork is a bit of a tricky notion as the traditional art establishment will place a high value on an art object only if its made of archival quality materials that can last many lifetimes... and appreciate in value. Perhaps in the modern day and age where things so rapidly change and grow buyers are starting to consider artwork that more powerfully reflects their own fleeting sense of time instead of artwork that shows and speaks only to history.