The Flame

Sitting there in the flesh knowing I am representing innocence and youth as I stare at the flame thinking it defines naivety and precariousness. One could say the same sentence but flipping the adjectives and it having relevance as well. Sitting there in the flesh I am representing naivety and precariousness as I stare at the flame thinking it defines innocence and youth.

Youth is defined as the time between childhood and maturity.  When does it end one would ask as it could be physically and mentally different for everyone?  The flame does not last forever but that is based on the amount of the substance that makes the fire? So I ask again when does youth end? Well, the law says 18 and in the astrology calendar it says 27-30.  At first, I felt that being called “the boy” in a performance-based artwork was contradicting because I have reached the end of my youth. But, as I sat there the theoretical thought behind youth does not contradict my description at all.  I fit in the astrological definition of youth as well as I tend to approach my work and viewing others from a youthful place.  Meaning, that I relying on my present knowledge and curiosity as a starting point to research in hopes of defining a concept.  Allowing intuition to lead me to a conclusion on work instead of starting with the answer gives me an innocent approach and allows me to follow Victor Turner’s theories of play. That’s what I do when sitting on a park bench staring at the flame in the middle of a gallery.  I am researching!

 I don’t see the onlookers as the performance can only possess it’s beauty in performative if I am un-distracted and contemplative. I feel my nakedness is to give me a non-descript look and to represent purity. I see the flame in the same way as a raw and naked source of purity, an element.  At one point when performing I realized we share pigmentation and energy. There was a moment when I resistant to shave my moustache in preparation for the work but now I feel its appropriateness.  My identity is taken away so I may be the representation of a greater community, the youth. 

So, what relates me to the flame? This is compounds and tension; as the artist is extremely interest in chemical substances and what these compounds create.  The work is what happens from the chemical reactions and/or the tension of the reaction to its spectator. But what is the similar thing that each of his works create? I think it is life. I must mention here that this perception is based on my own experience and judgements, being within this work and viewing other pieces by him, as the artist didn’t explain to me his perceptions of this or other works.  But, when substances are mixed and create compounds they create life such as when the sperm meets the egg.  From this a child is born and it is passed on the tools of language and motor skills.  At this point the child enters youth to be explorative and to experience lessons that he will use in his next stage of life, which is maturity. The flame and me are that moment passing from one stage to the next using tension, energy, and contemplation to support, one watching over the other.  As I step off the bench and the ropes are removed you are left with an object that might be plain and easy to pass by with out a thought but it does holds memories and moments.  And I think that the tension is still visible in its absentia allowing that object to be perpetually youthful or fragile. Which is perfect that the visitors are prohibited to sit on the bench as it is reserved for only the flame and the boy.