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.

The Coolest Soul I Ever Got Was...

Malena Bergmann's Soul! She is the coolest because she gave me an A in her concept studio class, which I deserved for the countless hours of worry I had to endure outside of class and the effort I put into making every class enjoyable and unique!

Joseph,
While I can appreciate your concept of gathering souls---there's something disconcerting about the idea of "loaning one's soul or portion thereof" to anyone, even a loved one, particularly when the contract does not specify your reasons for wanting custody of another's most prized possession. While you note that the soul will not be abused and that the owner may request termination of the contract, the principle of parting with any portion of my soul is personally abhorrent to me. Perhaps this is because from childhood I have been taught that my soul belongs to GOD but is in my keeping until such time that GOD chooses to claim it.

I'm not even certain I'd give my own mother or husband a part of my soul, so why should I give it to you? Someone I'm only acquainted with?

I am however curious to know how your "experiment" turns out.

Pamela H. Lawton, Ed.D

I think it is only appropriate to work toward obtaining souls from all walks of life. Males, gays, blacks, ugly, rich, marginalized, ignorant and doctors too...

Souls?

This man has no soul. I don't see why he thinks he gave me anything.


I own 49% of Debbie Archer's soul. Not 50%. She said that as long as she controlled the majority, then she was fine with that. She also believes in rounding up. I incidentally own 50% of her vagina. She gave that to me as a Birthday gift.

Beth - 2%

Racking in the souls...

My father. I started thinking about how souls are created and distributed. Are they like kinetic energy, that can neither be created nor destroyed? Is a new born baby a brand new soul or has it been recycled from the deceased, similar to Hindu or Jain beliefs? Is my own soul 2 parts of my parents? Can a soul really regenerate or are you given what you're given?

My 32 year old brother John. He sleeps with his eyes opened. It makes me wonder if this is a defensive mechanism or if he has mastered some kind of awareness meditation.

I currently have 22 soul pieces and 1.681943 whole souls.

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.

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...

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

Souls and Contracts again

Here are some pictures of the contract. I wanted to provide a link so you could download it, but this is the best I can do.


Also, here is David who gave me a little over 1% and Brian who gave me 3%. Brian gave me the part of his soul with the tattoo. I thought that was a neat idea. His tattoo is a constant reminder of who he is and what his beliefs are. I think that was really appropriate for him to give me that. He isn't just giving me a random piece of his soul anymore... He is giving me a piece that represents his very souls identity! He gave me the most important part!!

Souls and Contract

Here is one of the first images I gathered. My youngest brother James gave me his soul almost immediately. He tried to give me 100% of it and said he loved me and that I was his brother so I deserved it all. I said, "But what if you die early? A part of you won't get to experience reborn life immediately." He kind of frowned, and then said "Well how about 16%?" It was cute. He said later he gave me 16% because that was the age when he found God. And that made me think about how (older) people go to church and proclaim that every dollar they earn, they will give 10 cents back to the Church. It's moving to hear my brother try to give me such a grand portion. A lot of people I have talked to thus far want to keep it to themself. They say that they would disgrace God if they gave away something that He gave them. But my brother sees it as a sacrifice to a greater good. He isn't selling his soul to the Devil, or giving up something he doesn't care about, something precious. He does it because he knows what will come out of it will be good, and inspiring, and will make people think about their own spirits. I only have his picture to show, because he is the only one I want to show. There were more, but I want to dedicate this blogspot to him.

James Anthony Moya-Mendez

More Thoughts + Contract!

Hurrah! I finally finished the contract. But, I can't offer you a link or anything. You will just have to ask me if you want a copy to read over and then eventually sign.
Other than that, I thought it would be really interesting if I made a booth, kinda like a lemonade stand, and ask pedestrians and random passerbyers if they wanted to offer me a piece of their soul for art's sake. Or maybe a petition, going door to door asking for donations. I think I decided against that idea however because I am then violating peoples personal space, and I don't wanna get my nuts kicked or anything.
I also thought about the pictures I would be taking. I thought it might be even more interesting if I print and cut up all the pictures of the people I have taken in accordance with the percentage of soul that I was given, and collaged them together as a 100% complete soul. Example: Let's say Abe Lincoln gives me 25%, Farrokh Bulsara gives me 50% and Michael Jackson gives me 25% also. I will cut 25% of Lincoln and Michael's pictures out and collage them with Farrokh's 50%, so I amass a complete soul out of smaller portions.

Thoughts On My Accumulation Thus Far...

I don't think this is going to work. I really want people to cooperate with me... I mean come on, it's only a tiny bit of the essence of your being! I thought about how to present it more. I started thinking about how Vito Acconci documented his stuff, with multiple pictures to accompany the words with his documentation. I don't think the signed contracts would be very interesting by themselves.
I started thinking about how religious people in Haiti and the D.R. don't let you take their picture if you are touring the area. They think your camera is lifting their souls right out of their body. I think it will be necessary to capture the images of my participants, regardless of whether they want me to or not.
Also, still working on the contracts. I've never written one before, so it's taking a little time.

Accumulation With Reading

For the accumulation project reading, I have chosen Shan Raoufi (opinions) and Presley Martin (gum).
I chose Mr. Martin because I found his work aesthetically pleasing, as well as cheeky. It invites you to get close, even though you don’t want to… because chewed gum is icky, and it sucks to step in it, or worse sit in it at the picture show… and you think of all the nasty germs that are in peoples mouths - which incidentally is where this gum at one time use to be - and then you see that he pulled this diseased shit out of the murky, shitty, San Fran harbor and you start thinking about all the nasty fish pee and ship greases that soaked into this ancient stick of trident and you start to back away. I thought his exhibition piece was innovative and original. I like that it makes people frown when they see that it’s petrified gum. I also liked the way that the lights kicked all the different shadows around. The colors are rich, the textures are ample and the overlapping shadows create a nice feel of depth.
I chose Shan Raoufi because I think that his accumulation project gave him a better understanding of how the world around him interacts with and among itself, how he relates to those around him and how he views himself in accordance to his own ideals as well as societies. This is ultimately what this project (or art in general) is all about - establishing some understanding of how we cope with or influence our environment. I really liked the quote from the “Larry Clark kid” - “Shit, man, that stuff is all in your head. It doesn’t matter.” - I’m sure Mr. Raoufi knows he has a perfect body, and I’m sure this is what he was getting at all along.
The thing I found most interesting/influential about Mr. Raoufi’s work is that he was daring in sacrificing his body to the outside elements. I also thought him ballsy for approaching as many people as he did. He wasn’t afraid to put himself under the scrutiny of others, even when those people could have just beat him to a pulp for being a half-naked loon walking around Manhattan. Northerners ain’t got none of our Southern hospitality.

As far as my own accumulation, I have thought long and hard. I will be collecting bits and pieces (small percentages really) of individual’s souls. My work focuses primarily on what people cherish. I work to create a stronger sense of adoration and gratitude for those things that people hold dear. In this piece, I will explore how various individuals view and hold dear the very essence of their lives.
No documentation yet though. I’m currently working on the contract that establishes custody of these souls under my name. If you would like to give me a piece, please shoot me a comment with your email and we can work something out.