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2009 A multi-media work for "Shortness" at Tate Modern, June. With Sean Kaminsky, Henry Warwick, Jodi Patterson, Matthew Steven Carlos, and Paul Miller, aka. DJ Spooky

WHAT DOES

Enlightenment
Mean to You?

(in one word

or less)

"Maple Leaf"
144 @ 4 3/4" x 4 3/4" cut squares
Original painting was 5' x 4' - acrylic

4 3/4" x 4 3/4" section of painting.

Each square is signed and numbered.
There are 12 squares in each of the 12 rows.

Shown here are squares #57

and

#31

I was asked to construct a painting that depicted my idea of "enlightenment" to be a part of an ongoing global conceptual practice that debuted at the Tate Modern on 20 June 2009. After completion, the painting was divided into 144 pieces and inserted into a limited edition DVD media pack for the Tate Modern event. Participants were asked to photograph their section of the painting and email it for display here: http://www.oneWordOrLess.com/painting.html

"The painting created for us was divided into 144 pieces to reflect an essential aspect of enlightenment: not one, not two. The possibility of enlightenment for any individual being is dependent upon other beings acting out of their own enlightenment. In this particular case, an awareness of the whole painting is dependent upon the owner of each individual piece presenting that fragment to everyone else. This is accomplished by making an image of the fragment and emailing it to painting /at/ onewordorless /dot/ com. These images are then posted in their appropriate grid location, and gradually (or suddenly) we are enlightened to the whole picture." - Matthew Steven Carlos

http://www.onewordorless.com

Stay tuned to project here:

http://www.youtube.com/user/OneWordOrLess

Symposium Twitter:

http://twitter.com/short_at_tate

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For the µ project, I painted a maple leaf to represent my idea of enlightenment. The maple leaf depicts my desire to "be the leaf" and float with the river - rather than to swim against the tide and/or try to control every component of my life. I've learned that focusing so intently on end goals hides alternatives and takes me away from "the moment." This mindset is encouraged by Ryokan's very complicated yet simplistic poem:

Maple leaf falling
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