Installation Project

Part 1: the subject that i would like to explore in my installation is the flight of balls in the air, specifically related to juggling. this line of thought is extremely appealing to me both because juggling is a hobby close to my heart, and because of the fascination that animals have with things that are flying through the air. not many acts are as impressive as juggling. if you place a good juggler on the street, he or she will gain attention, it is guaranteed.

Part 2: during my research at the library, i came across some of the work by John Baldessari. i was entranced by his attempts to create shapes with balls thrown in the air. the work to the right, from 1974, is entitled Throwing four balls in the air to get a square ( best of 36 tries ). during an interview, Baldessari explained a little bit about this type of artwork.

"I would play games with myself just to see what would happen. And using the 35 mm camera with a 36 exposure, the idea – I would posit for myself and see what would happen if somebody threw up 3 balls and I was able to capture, you know, an image. What I would presumably get – an equilateral triangle. And then I would just juggle the one closest to that. And I tried all kinds of – I would try to get a straight line with 4 balls." (source)

the idea of "playing games" with ones artwork, for me, really just hits the nail on the head. artwork should be fun. not a thing that you must slave over (unless you enjoy that of course). if you are not enjoying the work you are doing, then whats the point?

Baldesarri's combination of the randomness of throwing objects in the air, along with the static permanence of gravity makes for quite the dichotomy. holding four balls, and throwing them upwards in an attempt to create a square, or three and going for a triangle...the chances are on in a million (probably higher, i didnt do the math).

Part 3: as i mentioned above, i am fascinated by the movement of objects in the air, the complex patterns that juggling involves. when someone is juggling 9 balls, or clubs, or rings (which i cannot do)...take your pick it requires an intense amount of concentration and practice not to have a mass collision.

Possibility 1
to create a video installation -- two monitors mounted on the wall -- and to have footage of myself on both screens. the two different myselves would be aware of each other, as though they were separate entities. one would start juggling, and then he would pass the balls "through" the monitor to the other me, who would then start juggling. eventually they would be juggling back and forth to each other.

Possibility 2
to use time lapse photography and glow-in-the-dark juggling equipment in a dark area to record the patterns that the balls make in the air as they are juggled. one considering i had was to have a series of fiberglass sheets that could be attached in layers, and each layer could have a different part of the photograph printed onto it, and together they would make the pattern that was being juggled.

Possibility 3
my third possibility comes through as a combination of the first two. a melding of the video installation with a series of photographs that clearly show the patterns that the balls are making as they are being juggled.

there is definitely a sense of similarity between what Baldesarri did, and what i would like to do. following the patterns of the balls in the air is a connecting theme. however, at the same time Baldesarri was relying on the randomness of balls thrown upwards with no attempt at control, while i am relying on very strict control to create specific patterns.