Artist statement for NY show, BLISSED-OUT
Based
on the continued experiments of conceptual artists Ferg Dewitt
and John Grover, I’ve been able to grow and spiritually
engage in a field of polygons and other geometric 2-dimensional
forms. Kirlian photographic research and numerous participants
have confirmed the thesis so far. There is still much more work
to be done.
This work is about connecting with the forces of nature, the vibrations
that are the heartbeat of man and of the planet. By connecting
to an activity- be it crafts, drawing, meditation or dance, we
are connecting to the spark of life. This is what keeps us alive
and creates New Energy.
My concerns are first of all formal. By using formal alchemy I
am able to communicate new meanings. These forms resonate for
me. It is the formal elements of the artwork that allow the multiple
meanings to be communicated.
Engaging with abstract forms in nature is the essential action
towards reaching transcendence. Throughout history, objects such
as pyramids, obelisks, rectangles and pentagons have been the
subject of human worship and devotion.
In the past I’ve explored the culture of youth- my own,
and that of the biggest Youth Movement ever, the one in the 1960’s.
I’ve touched on the subjects of rebellion, idealism, and
brotherhood. I’ve made works that are about the mythology
of youth, including the “teenage geography” video
and the ‘black light’ works I’ve made in the
past year. In all these works I’ve engaged in the transcendental
ideals of a group.
“The mythology of our group is growing.“
on Maharishi Vehicle. (skateboard)
“The yogi is the vehicle to bliss. The Yogi is pure. But
to use the vehicle, it will not remain new and shiny. It will
get used up like a pair of shoes. Still, we must use these vehicles
of expression and transcendence or we risk losing the opportunities
of experience. It is the only way to expand meaning.”
on Skate Pentagon (video)
“The form gets charged up by the riders until they transform
the space into a higher reality. Yet the energy of the form grounds
the activated space. It is a frame for the action that surrounds
it. I chose the pentagon shape in an attempt to reclaim it’s
mythology for it’s righful owners.“
-Mike Paré , August, 2005
