The Act of Bowing
Here is another piece of art from the Next/Art Chicago show at the Merchandise Mart by Takeshi Moro. The piece was titled Pedestal for Apology, because facing the image was a pedestal with places for your hands, feet, and forehead in the position of bowing. Next to the installation it explained, “The installation Pedestal for Apology evolved out of a series in which Moro asked individuals to enact the traditional Japanese bow of apology in the environment of their choosing while contemplating the reason for such an apology.” Takeshi Moro was quoted saying, “The simple bowing gesture, raised to an iconic level, is meant to frame ideas of humility and forgiveness for whoever takes the opportunity to perform this act.”
We decided to take this gesture out to the streets of Chicago- a busy intersection at that. We thought it would be interesting to use similar colors in a different environment while being exposed to the public. Where would you bow? What would you be apologizing for?
There is no beautifier of complexion, or form, or behavior, like the wish to scatter joy and not pain around us. – Emerson
Shadow Type by Fred Eerdekens
About a week ago we attended the Next and Art Chicago shows at the Merchandise Mart in River North. This metal, shadow type by Fred Eerdekens definitely caught our eye and made us stop and really look at the way an object can cast a shadow that is both interesting and different from the object itself. We decided to take this away from the show and onto the streets of Chicago- studying the way a shadow changes as its object moves about and observing the shadows we pass on a daily basis.
The job of the artist is always to deepen the mystery. – Francis Bacon
