Door Work, The Final 10 Days - Beams, Nails, Blood, Spit, Fire, and Up

I am the luckiest man I know - to have the support of my friends, family, and fans and to make art in this way: http://www.unitedstatesartists.org/project/door_work

These are the final days for me to reach my fund-raising goal for a major solo exhibition of my work on October 22nd at English Kills Gallery. My project closes on Aug. 11th - and if I don't raise the full amount - $8,500, none... [read more]

I am the luckiest man I know - to have the support of my friends, family, and fans and to make art in this way: http://www.unitedstatesartists.org/project/door_work

These are the final days for me to reach my fund-raising goal for a major solo exhibition of my work on October 22nd at English Kills Gallery. My project closes on Aug. 11th - and if I don't raise the full amount - $8,500, none of the funds are available. It's all or nothing.

Let me share with you why I think what I do is important:

I've never felt that I had a choice about making this work: performance. Because it's about blood. And love. And fear. And storytelling. And tradition. And the shape and edges of the new.

This work isn't popular. It's not funded easily or shown often by major institutions. It's terrifying. For the performer. For the audience. For the initiated and uninitiated. Working this way asks more questions than it answers, and we must dignify that and continue it for that reason. We must let ourselves fear.

Because it's live. It's alive!

I make work because I want to tell a story WITH you. I make work because I saw my children come into the world and my heart shattered and now I see them see the world and order it in an unfamiliar way which reminds me that we're all the same! Our stories mingle. Our stories must be told.

I struggle every day with the differences that we wedge between each other and within ourselves: as a teacher in a NYC public school, as a father, a husband, a friend, a brother, a citizen and artist. But I'm reminded that our story is the same in essential ways, and I reach for these threads in my work.

I make work to create balance. To destroy balance. To reach you. To be reached by you. I make work because it's my attempt to see sense in what we've inherited. To create a circle. To include you in that circle. To close the circle and throw bones on the ground, and meet your eyes and ask you: where do we go now?

Please help me do this.

If you have already supported me, know that I am more grateful than I can express. You have my heart in your hands.

If you haven't supported the project, know that any contribution is welcome and that this is a barn-raising. You're raising beams next to some incredible and passionate people. You are in good company.

My first solo exhibition runs at English Kills Art Gallery from October 22nd - November 6, 2011. Every tax-deductible contribution goes towards buying materials, paying collaborators, and building the work itself. My USA artists project page is here - just click the orange button that reads SUPPORT, and you'll be guided through a secure transaction to donate:

http://www.unitedstatesartists.org/project/door_work

Make your contribution and additionally use this event page to share your thoughts or experiences about my work, or performance in general.

One of the difficulties about performance is that isn't talked about enough. I'll be sharing my thoughts about performance and the work I'll be doing in October until the last minute. Any comments, feedback, or testimonials are welcome.

Thank you for your contributions, your interest, your time, and your stories.

Rob Andrews
http://www.andrewsautomatic.com

Copy and paste a Youtube link below submit

Copy and paste a Slideshare link below submit