Material : tattooing, printmaking (BFK paper), music (turntable amplifier speakers, vinyl), wood, insulation, drywall, glass
Location: Struts Gallery, Sackville New Brunswick, 2007
Description: The ‘bite and burn’ project has three distinct segments: Central, Pacific and Atlantic. Presented here: Atlantic. Each segment have been actualized separately over a period of time occurring in three different regions: Great Lakes region (Central), Pacific Coast (Pacific), and the Atlantic Coast (Atlantic). The primary formal components of ‘bite and burn’ include: printmaking, music, tattooing, and architecture. An action consisting of these components took place once in each region. Each action completed one third of a tattoo along the spine, one third of a set of prints and one third of the total sculpture.
Detailed Description: The printmaker, tattooist and myself were completely enclosed in a structure with in the space of the gallery; this structure measures 12 by 8 feet (approximately) with no ceiling. The structure is fabricated using standard two by fours, pink insulation and drywall; the exterior of the structure has exposed insulation facing the viewer. The viewer was only able to experience the activity audibly and by means of a vertical window in the wall approximately two feet high by six inches wide, the window was sealed using clear safety glass. For three hours, in the enclosed structure, vinyl records were be played (chosen from my collection of vintage 1980s metal, death metal, punk and hardcore bands) for the duration of the tattooing. During that time the tattooist completed a portion of a solid black line that runs from the top of my spin to the small of my back. The printmaker produced sequential prints (using BFK paper) from the tattoo during the three-hour period. After the three-hour session the music was shut off and the printmaker, the tattooist and myself left the structure signifying the end of the action.
The residue of the temporary structure along with the records, chairs and video footage of the actions will act as reminders of the event. The prints were also shown in the gallery out side of the structure for the duration of the exhibition.