THE NEW GENRE LANDSCAPE - PERKERSON PARK PROJECT  2008

    The New Genre Landscape -Perkerson Park Project was a temporary collaboration between artists Susan Krause and Steve Jarvis, based on the history of the Capital View neighborhood in southwest Atlanta. Constructed on a historical timeline of the neighborhood and region, The Perkerson Gates were a non-invasive linear installation in the stream running through Perkerson Park. The fence-like structures served as a map, pointing to larger social events of daily life. Seeking to engage the community, these pieces worked in tandem with an already established neighborhood commitment to the park and stream. 8 Enviro-friendly mixed media constructions pertaining to gate genres addressing historical benchmarks such as the inhabitation of the Creek Indians, the inception of the railroad, the Civil War, land dedication and farming, the Civil Rights Movement, re-gentrification and global environmental awareness were chronological placed from end to end within the park boundaries.

Presently I have embarking on a long term project dealing with skin prosthetics.  This project is a culmination of many different issues and experiences all of which come together related to identity. As an artist I am often fascinated by aspects of a topic, phenomenon or life experience and am challenged by the process of transforming these aspects into a visual language. The subjects are women over 40 from Canada, the US and Latin America who consent to share their life experiences, decisions and thoughts that can be read and worn by an audience. Each anatomical region is selected solely by the subject and has a DNA imprint and identification tattoo outlining age, experience and knowledge conveyed.

 While an art student I held two distinct occupations, one as a surgical instrument technician at a hospital where I was fascinated by and had the opportunity to observe procedures such as plastic surgery. The other, a commission sales position for a major department store where I observed the power of marketing consumption in the quest for promised beauty. From these somewhat ordinary occupations many years earlier I have found substantial resources for this project. Adding to this, my father was diagnosed with a rare, progressively disfiguring and terminal skin disease. Over the years of his illness I was able to see the reaction to the changes in his appearance by the general public and his resilience in overcoming predetermined judgments regarding his disfigurement. Conversely, all who knew him could see through his superficial appearance to an extraordinary human being by observing his abilities, interactions, compassion and courage. 

 I am committed to examining what is inherently authentic about humanity and questions surrounding beauty in contrast to the popular desire to alter ones physical appearance as seen in current trends.  I am fascinated by the overwhelming desire we have as a society to change our bodies to become less authentic, to resemble what society defines as beautiful rather than acknowledging the aesthetics of what is a visual record of a life. The choice to use natural decomposing materials such as latex rubber and leather is to illustrate and mimic an aging process and to have materials themselves document time.

The goal of the prosthetics is wearable vicariousness, a clear visual documentation of a life expressed through scares, gnarled hands, sagging breasts, wrinkled sun exposed skin or well traveled feet. The DNA imprinting is inherent in the casting process where chemistry reacts with the latex to produce its own unique tone. Currently there are over 30 subjects; the series will have over 100 when completed.