guns in loving memory

These pieces were all made using lumber crayons and paper to take rubbings from public monuments. Each piece uses language from a single monument. Some monuments yielded multiple pieces, but no piece contains language from multiple monuments. These were all composed in situ, based on the language available. There was no pre-composition, no plan to go and find certain things in certain places.

It was a way for me to respectfully engage in a dialogue with a form of communication that is normally a monologue. I was raised to believe that silence is complicity. I was also raised to have respect for the informed opinions of others (I think pluralist describes me best). By using only the language of the original messages I feel I was able to be respectful of those whose views differ from my own without having to accept those views as my own.

Clicking the link below will open a slideshow gallery. Click the first (or any) image and the slideshow will run.

(these pieces were originally shown as Guns In Loving Memory at Test Pattern Gallery, Scranton, PA USA and later as The United States Of at The Oresman Gallery, Smith College, Northampton, MA USA)