Approval For Transport
In April, I visited 2110 Dennis Lane. I immediately took note of a label on the Escolar shipping container that detailed its terms of weight load and production. I tried for weeks to rearrange the text of the label to fit the needs of a project in the space—but I kept coming up short and so I asked for more time.
In May, I found a whole turtle shell, some remnants of the body still intact, on the beach of a small body of water in Inverness. I became fascinated with the shell, and spent days cleaning it, soaking it, scrubbing it, and preparing a cast to mold multiples of its form. I drew a picture of text I could spell with turtle shells. My test word was “SO”.
In June, I was cleaning my computer desktop and found a digital drawing I’d made for my love two year prior that contained the phrase: “So much that I could preserve a turtle shell to keep a home around your heart, something to hide in if you need rest or respite or resist”. I began digging through my studio, and found many carefully collected parts and already sculpted pieces that were turtle-like in form and figure.
July, August, September and October the work slowly formed. I added to my pieces in a careful manner I hadn’t previously taken with my own art, with an enthusiasm I’d reserved for gifts, given to others. Taking this stride, I found myself able to complete work by feeling the presence of this great gift I had bestowed upon myself—that of all the time that I needed.
I continued to be inspired and also continued to postpone the show. In November I had an epiphany that the show would begin on January 6th, also known as Three Kings Day.
Everyone can have a gift, see sculptures inside and out, and listen.
Cold water flows forward.
Love,
Gabriel