Artist Statement for Baggage

Two summers ago I visited my best friend of 45 years, the artist Claudia Bark, who is now an invalid living in rural Eugene. I asked her if I could use her collection of retro suitcases for some sort of art related project. From her bed she said sure.

 I began by choreographing the baggage into narrative scenes. Ideas that came to me as I staged the scenes; how the baggage related to my identity, letting go, as an infestation in need of purging, and interaction. The baggage eventually was stacked into a tower in the middle of a rarely used rural road. I waited with my camera for cars to come so I could capture their response. I waited a long time.

The first three cars drove by the baggage as if it was not there. Eventually a woman slowed down and stopped, opened her window and started laughing. Then two men walked by and began to playfully interact with the baggage. Then the men helped me carry the baggage back into the house.

A half hour later the police stopped by and told me it was illegal to put things on roads. They were going to arrest me until I confessed ignorance to that law. My goal had been to create art, not beak the law. One of those three drivers I photographed passing the baggage apparently was not pleased.

Baggage was selected as a bus shelter installation as part of a 4 Cultures grant with
Metro and The Photo Center NW.