The Pearl

4' diameter sphere study | Conscious Consumption Creation Act C.C.C.

A one month of Life is Art Collective residency waste, twine, plaster, salvaged mica and salvaged paint

A pearl is a defense mechanism to a potentially threatening irritant, a finding of perfection in disaster. They are used in many cultures as panaceas to hostile ailments and are universally collected as precious gemstones.Thirty days of the communal life went into The Pearl. On day one of the residency I eliminated all trashcans from the premises. Artists, guests and interns saved every piece of refuse and were asked to meticulously collect, clean and categorize the debris. Glass bottles were re-directed into drinking glasses, organic matter was composted and all remaining –plastic, paper, string, foil, fingernails, hair etcetera was consumed by The Pearl. Each evening I broke down and rolled the detritus into a twine wrapped sphere. Over the month the sphere grew in concentric circles until it took multiple people to manipulate. At the end of the residency, I coated the Pearl with plaster and finished the spherical study with mica and a mixture of salvaged paints.