That is the question. Today we focused on where we see ourselves, whether physical or mental or any other state we feel that we find ourselves in. We all went outside with digital cameras to take pictures of whatever that would illustrate the question.
This flamboyant, friendly-looking parrot was one of the few shots I took. Relating to our asking "Where am I?", I think it has a theme of misplacement. As one would expect to find a brightly colored, exotic bird in a more tropical environment, I think the dark cityscape background creates some pretty neat contrast.
In the galleries, one of the works of the day we observed/interpreted/related to/imitated/tried to understand/etc. was called Czech Modernism Mirrored and Reflected Infinitely, by Josiah McElheny (who had actually attended Brookline High; yay Boston pride!). This piece consists of eight glass objects, boxed inside four walls of mirrors, creating an effect of neverending rows of bottle/vase-like glass things.
You see reflections of the glass pieces that just go on forever in every direction. Then, you're not even sure if they're opaque or if you're looking through them. But there's not a single image in there that's of yourself, which is so crazy, since you're so used to looking into mirrors. The slightest evidence of your existence is your transparent reflection on the sheen of the outermost mirror (which is actually an interrogation mirror that creates the effect in the artwork). It made me feel like a ghost. It's spooky, in a way.
So basically, the answer to "Where am I?" in this piece, is: nowhere.
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I've come back to this early post, because I enjoyed your comments on Josiah's glass work, and your ideas of your place as a "ghost" within it. Many people don't even notice that slight hint of themselves in the transparent (non-mirrored) surface of the interrogation glass. I'm glad you did--because it remnds me that there are presences of different kinds: solid and physical, but also elusive and uncertain. Did you know Josiah McElheny has a new project on view at the Museum of Modern Art in New York right now? To learn about it, check out the website www.moma.org and look for "Projects 84: Josiah McElheny" His new work is called "The Alpine Cathedral and the City Crown" 2007, two imaginary models of crystal palaces. Pretty cool.
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