In my endeavor to understand my inner workings, I have used various meditations, actions and processes to track and map my states of consciousness. The following are some of the projects that have led to the creation of Soul Atlas.
Ever Unfolding Thought Form
I have drawn Mind Maps for years. Ever Unfolding Thought Form is a two-dimensional animated mind map. My vision is to render this three dimensionally.
The First Step
“As an ordinary human being, walk one mile
and with each step recognize you are walking on Holy Ground.”
I performed this task daily from January 1st through the 31st, 1998 at 12 noon. It was performed in San Francisco on the same stretch of Market Street (from Sutter Street to the United Nations Plaza).
I documented this process with 219 photographs and a journal. The photographs are documents of the external experience and the journal is a document of the internal experience. I compiled the documentation into an interactive CD format.
Stalking the Moment
Oakland Museum
The action took place in an alcove at the Oakland Museum. For six hours I mapped the various phenomena on the concrete wall and floor of the alcove using chalk and charcoal. The mapping included: the shifting of shadows; the paths of bugs, birds, people, planes, etc; patterns of sound; and body sensations. This piece is about being in relationship with the world and is a practice of being present. My intention is to engage the viewer in this question of presence.
Distant Viewing
As part of my artist residency at Jon Sims Center for the Performing Arts in San Francisco, Distant Viewing was one of a series of three pieces: “Vessel”, “Distant Viewing” and “False Advertisement: In Search of the True Mark”.
I Am Dead
I Am Dead happened in a black room and was a meditation on death. I said and wrote, “I am dead” over and over with charcoal on a 9′ x 9′ paper.
Performance
Over a ten year period, I performed with various dance companies in the United States (New Orleans Ballet, Houston Ballet, Bella Lewitzky Dance Company and ODC/SF) as well as choreographed and performed my own work.
