New WorK: Litany Against Fear: Collection Vessel

Litany Against Fear- L Reynolds 2011

I've been working on this piece for a while, but now I am happy to say it is finished. It is currently taking up residence in my dining room but soon to be on display in Burlington.  

The idea for this started to incubate in my head last October. Little by little, I worked on it; adding objects here and there, searching for just the right something or some other thing to add. Unlike some of my work that can be very spontaneous, I could picture in my head exactly how I wanted this piece to look. It was just a matter of committing to the piece and finding the right materials. 

I have always been inspired by the Bene Gesserit Litany Against Fear, that appears in Frank Herbert's book, Dune. I used those words as a starting point for this piece. The idea being to overcome your fear you need to let it past through you. Allow the storm of emotion to come forward, always remembering that the only this that is constant and the thing that will endure is yourself. That is how you tackle those things you fear the most.  Each of streamer's that float in the tree bears one line of the litany.

  

I must not fear.

Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me.  And when it has gone past, I will turn my inner eye to see its path. Where fear has gone there will be nothing. 

Only I will remain.

 

Detail: Litany Against Fear: Torso

Close up- Litany Against Fear

Close up: Litany Against Fear

Closeup: Litany Against Fear

Close up: Litany Against Fear: Stand

The streamers

Litany Against Fear: Detail: Streamers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This piece speaks on many levels and I could go on and on about their meanings for me personally, but I feel it's really important to just let it speak for itself. I have plans on showing this and it's sister: Desire at the South End Art Hop in September. It is much more impressive in person, than in a photo.  

Litany Against Fear: Detail: Torso

Litany Against Fear: Detail: Collection Vessel

When it is on display, I will ask viewers to people write down their fears and place them in the vessel. If you can't make it and you want your fear added, please feel free to leave me a comment on this blog post or email me directly. I would love to include it in the work.



And what of Desire? This piece is still sitting on the workroom table. After this morning treasure hunting (aka yard-sailing) I am very excited to get back to work later tonight. I will post more photos of her as she progresses. 

Litany Against Fear: Detail: Torso

"the only thing we have to fear is fear itself" FDR

Fear is the Mind Killer

I have been incubating on a new project for a while and I finally have gotten a chance to get down to the workroom to start it. It stems out from an idea while I was making some of the bird house shrines. 


The initial idea behind the whole bird house is that it was a physical place to store emotion and feelings. I would take bits and pieces of things that have resonance and meaning; like scraps of fabric, feathers, bits of photographs, and lines of text, and put them inside the birdhouse, before I sealed up the hole.  The bird house is transformed into a vessel to hold the emotion.  With the bird houses, this idea just came to me intuitively. Since then, I have been doing some research into Victorian Memory Vessels. I have decide to work on two large pieces that further this concept. This time however, I am being much more intentional about the work. The pieces are going to be interactive. It relies on feedback from you to be created. 


The first piece is about FEAR. 


Fear is a distressing emotion aroused by a perceived threat. It is a basic survival mechanism occurring in response to a specific stimulus, such as pain or the threat of danger. It is part of our core, basic emotions.  We all have fears, and the range of things that frighten us is astounding. 


Sometimes when you create ART, you are forced to face certain fears. Facing those emotions can be extremely difficult, but the result is almost always one that reaps greater benefit than loss. 


My first steps in making this piece is to identify what people are really afraid of.


Some of the most common fears are of: ghosts, evil powers, bugs, snakes, heights, water, enclosed spaces, bridges, needles, social rejection, failure, examinations public speaking, flying, heights, clowns, intimacy, death, and success.


I am definitely afraid of some of those things. 


I'm asking all you brave souls to leave me a comment about what your greatest FEAR is.


Since all my comments are moderated, you can definitely remain anonymous. Just leave me a little note in you comment and i won't post to the blog.  All the "FEARS" that I collect will go into the vessel that I am creating, as well as help me to construct the outer shell of the piece.


Thanks for sharing, and I look forward to receiving your comments.








The Litany Against Fear


I must not fear.Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.^[2]