Mr Boan

Brandon Boan was the nicest Swedish gypsy from Oregon I’ve ever met. His unconventional, nomadic, poor lifestyle helped me realize that I’m not that kind of artist! He is a different breed of subhuman (and by that I mean artists). It’s weird that he has an insatiable desire to create, kinda like a crack-attack. It’s admirable, but I don’t understand it because I don’t have urges to satisfy the way he does. I require structure. His work was intriguing, but I don’t think I liked it. His ideas were marvelous, and it’s not even that I didn’t like them; it’s just that I didn’t understand them. Brandon had some serious philosophies and theories cookin’ in his dome; So advanced that my tiny little brain couldn’t handle them. His in-depth exploration and questioning skills were great.

I'm helping people

There have been a couple of people thus far that have given me their souls for whatever reason; they feel it's right or they don't believe they are actually giving me their soul or because they think I'm faking it and it's all some joke, that I'm not serious... whatever. Thus far I have just got a lot of reasons why people didn't want to give me anything, but just recently I acquired a contract from a fellow classmate that outlined his positive reasons why he had given me his soul piece. What was written is as follows:

I am freely giving you part of my love soul that I have been hanging on to from a past relationship. I am tired of holding on to it and need to remove it from my life in order for new love to grow. I feel that this is a part of my soul that is subject to regeneration. Do with it what you will. It is yours. I have done and experienced all that I can with it. It has haunted and plagued my thoughts and emotions and completely consumed my being for the last 5 years. By signing and dating this document I mark an influential turning point in my life.

I never thought that by starting this project I would help people in such a profound way. All I wanted to do was get some people thinking about who they were and how they connected with their spirituality. This project has evolved into something more valuable to me. It's not just signatures and photo documentation. It's becoming a piece about human drive, deep emotional understanding and trust bonds. To me, this isn't merely an attempt to move on by throwing your garbage problems on to somebody else's shoulders. I have enabled this person to move on to a greater appreciation for life and love. This person is relying on me to help them help themselves. I feel honored.

Time Piece

I had tons of ideas for this piece, but for the most part, they were too grandiose, time consuming or required me to be in a much better financial situation than I am currently in. I chose to show this piece in a progression. Not like stills from a camera but more like repetition of the same sculptural form in different formations.

For this project, I wanted to capture movement that was inspired by me making my bed. I live in a tiny 80 square foot dorm on campus and my bed can only fit in the corner. When I go to make my bed I throw out my sheets over the entire surface but the sheets hit the wall and fall on top of itself in ripples. I like the way it looks when it starts to overlap itself and decided to try and illustrate the movements over time in metal sculpture.

I found some random scrap metal outside of my dad's shop and just started bending then over themselves. I didn't realize that the metal I grabbed was varying thicknesses and densities, so I had to use a vice and sledge hammer to bend 2 of them. The others were pliable enough to just use my hands, feet and table tops to bend them.

Research and incorporation of 2 sources: I don't understand what this means or I didn't have to use them. The only 'source' I chose to research on was the various ways to bend metal. All I did was told my dad I wanted to bend them metal and asked him if he knew any secret methods. My main option was to just use brute strength. I didn't wear gloves because I want to have man hands, and I thought it might make me appreciate the material I was using better if it was able to physically harm me while I was handling it. It cut me in a couple places, and one place bled really bad, but I think overall I enjoyed it. I had just gotten a tetanus shot last year for purposefully pushing rusty nails through my back, so I'm still good.
(Juan Moya-Mendez, question to father, March 16, 2008.)
I don't have another one other than that. The purpose was simple. I wanted to bend metal to change it's perceived characteristics and had fun with it. So, Why did you choose the 1 specific source? Because it was easiest. And How will the source material make your aesthetic choices richer? It won't.

Discontinuation Series. Iron, steel, rust, sweat, blood, and tears.
2.5' -8" x 5.5" - 9" x 4.6" - 8.7"

More Souls

Carol Ann Oxidine, the soon to be Mrs. Carol Ann Moya-Mendez. She thought signing the contract was futile because when we marry our souls will join anyway. She's right.
This is our good friend Margaret Seyller. She is a bitch. She didn't want to donate anything to my cause. She compared this experiment to a Séance. How dare she! I'm trying to bring people closer to their own spirituality... not conjuring demons or spirits. So in the end I made her feel guilty about not giving me anything, and instead of us growing closer, we have grown apart...

March 19

(missing)

Phantasmagoria

This show was beastly. I loved almost everything. I have always been interested in parlor tricks and illusions, so I really enjoyed the piece that smoked and made you disappear. I wish I had that installed in my car seat or under my toilet. The first time I ever heard the word Phantasmagoria was in reference to Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion. Walt Disney himself was influenced by these shows because he was a huge movie/theatre aficionado and incorporated a lot of his ideas into the haunted mansion.

The exhibit was very powerful. The ghost reflections in the water and mirrors called to mind thoughts of the ghost I lived with for a year, the one that made me a believer. The exhibit as a whole reminded me of how hard it is to be serious about death and how hard it will be for me to cope with the impending death of my loved ones. I have never been close to anybody who has passed away. I fear death, yet mock it at the same time. I often joke about my own grizzly demise just before I tell my fiancée or parents “I love you… Goodbye”. Or when my brother tries to get off the phone with me when I’m driving in very bad weather, I tell him there is no way I’m going to be killed, just because I know it’s not going to happen. It was a magical exhibition with stark realizations hiding around the corner, ready to slap you in the face.

New Direction

It has become evident to me that people are more negative to this matter than positive. I have sent emails out and have gotten several responses of mostly people questioning what I’m going to be doing with them. This is Paige Cochran’s email to me, my response and then her rebuttal. She makes a very strong point.

Can you foward this to him or send me his email address? Now what does this person want to do with my soul? If he is interested in it, then why doesn't he want to know more about it? This is serious business and I don't think anyone should lend another person their soul, personally.

Hey Paige. My name is Joseph Moya-Mendez and I wanted to answer your questions you asked Malena. I want to answer your question, but first I need to correct you. You won't be 'lending' me your soul. You are going to be 'giving' it to me. Not the whole thing obviously. I can tell that you value your possessions and assume that you feel that your soul will carry a purpose, in this life or in the next. I tell people who try to give it all to me that I want them to be able to experience rebirth into the hereafter... if that's what they believe in, of course.
Now what will I do with it you ask? Nothing but possessing it. This accumulation is meant to drill down to the inner core of an individuals moral, ethical, and spiritual values. I want people to ask themselves what their worth is, or question their belief structure if at all possible. I'm also wanting people to question their faith. It is my idea that too often people place every ounce of their faith in a deity, higher power or God Himself, and little or no faith in themselves. Instead of praying or asking God to grant them revelations, healing or other miracles, they should be putting their faith into their own actions to better themselves and others in this world. Accompanying this idea, I think that people should also put their faith in other people. Trust is important, and if you can trust in yourself than you can trust in others.

And it's not that I'm not interested in your soul personally. I would really like to know it... but it's not really the point. It's like giving a homeless person on the street $5.00. You don't know if he's going to use it to booze up or to buy a hearty meal... You'll probably never even see that person again. But you feel good inside for letting him experience something he never gets to experience anymore, whether it's Milwaukee's Best or a Chicken sandwich. Ohh, except for I'm not going to use your soul for anything negative. I will love it and treat it like a little baby that I adopted from Russia, but will never play with, because I don't want to play with it.

If you still don't want to give me a tiny percentage, then I understand. You're right... this is serious business. Especially for me, considering I have to take on the weight of all of these extras souls I've acquired. Now I have to be extra honorable and much less mischievous. I can't taint these souls or I'm fucked. I'm just asking people to take a chance.

If you have any other questions, feel free to email me or call me on the phone. My number is 704-502-9617. And thanks for taking the time to get to the bottom of things. That's what I want people to do.

Heart, Joseph XOXOXO

well, that's interesting. i do not believe in giving you my soul, sorry. but no. i used to give people psychic readings, i am a yoga instructor, and reiki master...so energy is very real to me. this contract you are handing out enables you with a real ability to access peoples' energy bodies, if they were honest about signing it. i'm not too keen on this idea. anyhow, good luck with your project. i'm sure you will find lots of people who are willing to give you their souls....there was this guy named jesus....he's still collecting them.

Paige

Hawkinson and Qiang

I really liked what Tim Hawkinson was saying about how music was a really big component of his art experience. Art must be viewed in the broadest sense of its meaning. It is an artist's duty to acknowledge and proliferate all forms of art - not just visual art, but performance, theatre, music, dance, language arts, culinary arts and the physical arts as well - even if they pursue mastery in only one or two specific disciplines. Music is an important component in my life.

Cai Guo Qiang’s bio was pretty interesting too… I wasn’t so much a fan of some of the work as I was his incorporation of the materials used. The way he developed a harmonious relationship with the gunpowder was really intriguing. I liked how he said that you have to accept the fact that the gunpowder was dangerous and accidental. I always have a profound respect for people who are able to let material things in their lives go for the sake of establishing “higher” connections. His work made me think of Ah Leon, a world renowned, Chinese ceramics professor. His work consists of ceramic teapots and landscape structures that are related to his heritage. His art was recently exhibited in the “Masters of Disguise” show at the Mint Craft + Design Museum. I find it absolutely astounding and honoring that an entire culture of people can structure their existence around the arts, whether it is by the way they dress, write letters, exercise or even serve tea.

Art 21 Series

Fuck engineers and their brains. Theo Jansen’s work was really inspiring though. He has taken his art to a new level, above mere existence. His work will one day be able to live on its own… Not like a painting can live in a collection, but actually living and breathing the ocean air, moving from place to place, where ever the wind takes it (literally). Even though the work is overwhelmingly beautiful and elegant, I can’t help but think about this new military device being developed by Boston Dynamics called BigDog. It’s terrifying; a perfect counter argument to Theo’s vision. It’s currently being tested to carry military supplies, but it’s robotic parts are so close to human limbs that it’s haunting. It too moves by itself, has a significant purpose, and they both struggle for survival.

How the hell did this guy come up with these 11 Golden Formulas? What an original idea that is. His work is a refreshingly original in a society that almost condemns a piece if it does not in some way, shape or form reflect that of an earlier work. The one thing I hate about this piece is how it makes me feel about my own art work. I think if I could have one truly original thought in my lifetime I would be ecstatic.