floating

Floated some more disaster stories today on the Wisconsin River. Luckily, there weren't any storms imminent (it seems whenever i innocently walk outside with my camera, they begin to brew) but the water was almost eerily placid. The raft actually ended up floating upstream. I have Tiana to thank for the great photos posted here. Always so good to know a talented photographer!

I had been filming water in different states, from placid to turbulent, and wasn't really sure what i was going to do with it. I thought maybe i could sandwich it into the imagery filmed of the rafts floating. Now i know i'll definitely incorporate it and will work on the idea through my drawings tonight. The large drawing i'm working on seems to be a documentation of the disaster work in progress...full of trials and errors.

Tiana and i had also discussed collaborating on a simple site-specific project on Taliesin and had considered how so many areas are in disrepair. After a trip to the gift shop (see Tiana equipped with the FLW handpuppet to the left), it was clear that the merchandise attached to the FLW fetishistic phenomena is a big source of helping finance repairs and maintenance of the sites. We thought of using the products themselves to simulate "band-aids" around the site—like taking a stack of Taliesin pencils (the cheapest item in the shop) to prop up a sagging overhang or using postcards to patch a broken window. Even in this project, i can see my sensibility for damaged areas, items, people. A tree fell in a recent storm and it made me pretty sad. Such a huge thing. It makes me want to fix it but i know it's futile. Is that the same sensibility working in this place?

Also, tending to the damage, neglected, ignored through small, persistent, caring actions. Not sure what that's about yet but i'm working on it. The floating of the disaster stories and the experience of reading them has given me a better sense for how everyone you meet is dealing with or has dealt with many forms of disaster and are the people they are because of it. It's this amazing persistent ability to overcome, adapt and transform that gives me a huge sense of understanding and sympathy for people.