habitat for artists

Ira Tattelman: Day 2

Today I arrive at THEARC.  It will be quieter today, more of a studio day than a day of interaction.

The setting is quite beautiful and bucolic.  The sun is shining, yet I am able to work in the shade, within the trees, listening to birds and
insects around me.  I’m still in the city, 15 minutes from my house. I have brought along a dress dummy.  I am very interested in the use of mannequins across the city and how their location within the citychanges their “identity.”  We’re hoping to work with a bunch of YMCA kids on Tuesday - I will invite then to make their own objects to pin to the dummy.  What personality will emerge as we layers a wealth of materials onto this armature?

My own contribution will include the plastic disks and cable ties.  I envision long shawls and scarves, hung from the Habitat, in and around the dummy. My placards / posters (here, I used photographs of mannequins) layer one image on top of another to produce a third.  They become a visual introduction to the installation.

When I talk about my work today, I am told, “Hey, I’d like one of those for my wall.”  and “I’m gonna make this guy wear that, with a
red thong and big red beach hat.”

You can’t beat the conversation that the making and seeing of art starts.
Find me at Iratt.tumblr.com