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Rubbings from the Con/Text Series capture written words and phases found in the environment.  This ongoing series utilizes text acquired from historical markers and other plaques.  The viewpoint of these interpretive signs often affects a visitor's perspective and experience of a given place.  Multi-colored wax-oil rubbings are made from the raised text of these plaques onto corresponding maps or images. The resulting "souvenirs" serve to both document and obscure the represented image.

 
Manifold Manifesto: Gettysburg (Avenger)

MANIFOLD MANIFESTO

Manifold Manifesto is a variation of the Con/Text Series. Through this series I explore the itinerant landscape- that of automobiles (and their typology) layered upon the physical terrain. The work is created by making rubbings of car name plaques and insignia onto related topographic maps. In the case of the image to the left: car names that relate to battle are rubbed onto a map of Gettysburg.

Manifold Manifesto: Gettysburg (Avenger), 27" x 23"

CON/TEXT: IN SITU

The Con/Text Series embraces the written word literally found in the landscape.  Acquiring words and phrases directly from the raised text of historical markers and other plaques through wax-oil rubbings is rather labor-intensive and at times an absurd activity. The resulting effect is that of documenting the map's connection to its source (marking the paper on site with words from specific locations on the map).  

For the New York City series I used 14 large nautical charts and rubbed approximately 50 phrases from plaques in situ on each chart with some variations in color and text selection.  Certain words serve to ground the piece (e.g. street names), other more descriptive phases pinpoint a specific building ("This Cathedral of Commerce of Gothic Design" for the Woolworth Building), and odd or agenda-laden phrases serve to embellish the document (e.g. "attracts rats, unpretentious church, Chosen People," etc.).

NYC 03: 48" x 33"

NYC 03
Con/Text: Hurt Building

CON/TEXT SERIES: BUILDINGS

For this series I utilized text found on markers in Atlanta that pertain to specific landmark buildings.  The vintage postcard images were silkscreen printed onto paper  and later taken on site and rubbed with found text from historical markers and building name plates.

 

Con/Text: Hurt Building 36" x 24"

URBAN FLASH CARDS

Urban Flash Cards are created in a similar manner to Con/Text (through wax-oil rubbings) focusing not on words but instead on fragments of raised imagery (logos, insignia, etc.) and surface designs found on bronze plaques, sewer grates and other cast-metal objects found in the urban environment. 

Urban Flash Cards 5" x 5" each

Urban Flash Cards (4)