Laura Kimpton, Burning Words
Found this interesting article about Laura Kimpton’s Burning Words traveling art exhibition based on concepts surrounding Burning Man, ritual burning, and the ever important work of subduing that pernicious little critic inside of us all. The work is to arrive in San Francisco and auctioned in support of old-growth redwood forests, though no date was mentioned.
“The focal point of the New York exhibit is a 10 foot tall steel tree built by Mr. Schomberg that serves as an anchor to Ms. Kimpton’s assemblages of found objects, burnt books, paint, encaustic wax and installation devices…
“…Burning Words transforms as it travels to the now famous Burning Man Festival in Black Rock, Nevada in late August, where Ms. Kimpton and her team have designed a large scale steel and fire ‘Celtic Forest’, complete with moat and cauldron, where actual ritualistic burning events by the artist, team members and willing participants serve to purge participants of unnecessary and harmful self-criticism.
“‘…End of words… one day I woke UP and was aware of a running commentary in my head, explaining every event in my life like an announcer for a gymnastics event. This Voice of Words made comments on everything I did. It would even tell me to put my pants on in the morning. This Voice of Words would also give me a score for everything – conversations I had, how I dressed, talked, sang, fucked, ate, felt. It was tiring, almost exhausting. Beginning with the Burning Words installation at NY Studio Gallery, I will be creating an art-ritual of the same name at Burning Man 2007. By burning the Voice of Words, I will allow all the other Voices to speak. It will make room for the Voice of Sight, the Voice of Smell, the Voice of Touch, the Voice of Intuition, and the Voice of Nature.’”
