Process

Video

Noumenon and Awareness of 
the Endless Succession of Thought

2008
Assemblage with propylene glycol and emanating reflection optical lens
46 x 20 x 6 inches
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This was the last piece in the Noumenon series. I began to really understand the concept of “Increasing your awareness,” a phrase so often recited at places where one can take yoga or eat vegan dishes. Some expressions are funny like that: righteous, poetic, but they don’t really sink in. I’ve found that the simple act of quietly watching my thoughts—or really, the feelings they bring, letting them just be, without thinking, judging or trying to eliminate…merely being aware of them brought that word heartfelt definition. Emotional chaos dissolves, having had its say.

The Emanating Reflection Optical Lens

I invented this lens (used in all the Noumenon pieces) by accident while looking for a way to emulate the depth of endless darkness. The effect that I ended up with (a closely guarded secret) was far more effective, as it conveyed the postulation of something coming out of nothing. Bright reflections, a distant window, a candle, etc. will appear to come out of the lens as if floating just in front of the glass. If a laser is directed into the lens, a beautiful geometric web appears, contorting and twisting with any movement of the beam. Unfortunately, the apparition is nearly impossible to convey in photos, requiring three dimensions to see properly.