Accumulation Reflection and Changing Thoughts

In the beginning, I was very naive. I thought it would be cool to get people to trip out over someone asking them for something so personal. I wanted them to reflect on what they thought about what I was asking, but I never thought about what they might think, or the kinds of answers I might get. I just considered a "yes" or "no" answer. I didn't think about the degrees of positive or negative responses I would get. Some people were blatantly offended and would cuss and yell. Some were intrigued and began to probe further at what I was asking them. In the end, I was touched at the thoughtfulness of some of the answers I got, whether they gave me what I wanted or not. I never thought I would be able to help someone cope with their problems, or find pieces of themselves that they never considered or overlooked. In the end, the piece was more about accumulating meaning and understanding of ones self or ones fellow human than just simply gathering material possessions.

I think I was assigned this exercise to find more meaningful connection between art and life, and to better understand how we assign meaning and place stock in material possessions.

Accumulation Project Finale

I know I should probably create a piece that is amazing and fantabulous and it will make you shit yourself when you see it, but I don't think that was ever the aim. I didn't approach these people and ask them for their soul parts so I could later shoot them into outerspace via rocket-propulsion system. It was just a very sincere test of their belief structure. I can't sit here and create scenarios as to what I should do to make this project exciting or more interesting. How do you make photos and paper so interesting in the first place? This project has helped me grow and understand aspects of my own personality that I never even thought about in the first place.

The intent was always to capture these souls just to set them free. I can't keep them! They’re not mine. I have mine. I've always had mine and don't need any others.

When my ball python, Snakey Wakey One, died from a neurological disease, we set him adrift in a New Balance shoe box in the middle of Lake Norman. From the shore, we shot flaming arrows in the traditional Viking Funeral style... until the piercing, orange light struck the gasoline soaked cardboard and the blaze licked away at the serpents lifeless, diseased body. I think that is how I would want to release these souls from captivity; let the flames carry the smoke and vapors to the heavens.