Montreal; Bodies of Thought Series 2010 Photograph

“Bodies of Thought” is a continuation of my investigation into the concept of an intelligent body, where the body’s thoughts are realized through movement. For this series I was inspired by the research of scientist Candace B. Pert who determined that “...we may conclude that the mind is in the body, in the same sense that the mind is in the brain, with all that that implies.”* I seek to highlight evidence of this intelligence by creating a visual map of the body’s thought process captured through photography. While I featured professional dancer Naomi Brand (Canada) in the first incarnation of this project, during my Project 2048 residency I expanded the work to include those without professional movement training, or “regular people,” in order to address the intelligence inherent in all bodies. I gathered volunteers from around the Bay Area and photographed their improvisations. Volunteers were given no limitations or suggestions other than to remain in photographable space. The resulting images reveal the expressive capacity of the everyday person when given the time and freedom to improvise movement. Each photograph is a map of the body’s motion, traced in light through a dark space. Patterns emerge within each individual’s photographs, yet the group remains startlingly distinct from one another. Some mysterious forms arise where the body is barely recognizable, while others evoke a more familiar emotional response. I find the movement of all these bodies of thought beautiful--not only for the dynamic visual results, but for how they express thought with every action. *Pert, Candace B. The Molecules of Emotion. (New York: Scribner, 1997), 188.

Photography:Digital on Other

Original:One-of-a-kind Artwork

Size:0.4 W x 0.4 H x 0.1 D in

Delivery Time:Typically 5-7 business days for domestic shipments, 10-14 business days for international shipments.