Beginning the Process
One afternoon in my studio, I was talking with AnneBruce Falconer while she idley wrapped her hand with red thread. At my suggestion that she wrap her head, she eagerly responded. I photographed her transition with the thread. We where both stunned by the images captured. These are the photographs that provided the crux of the exhibition.
We had been looking for another collaboration, and had spoken numerous times about working with acrylic. AnneBruce had a story to tell and solid ideas about the use of the plastic panels. I was beginning to work with thread in my own paintings, liking the exploration of moving to the transparent surfaces and creating a space where her narrative could breathe. The plastic panels were designed to meet the need of AnneBruce’s narrative, but also embelished with my own visual iconography. Dramatic themes developed quickly, as did the physical installation and Produit Rien was the perfect site-specific environment for THREAD/BARE.
At some point in the process, we decided to invite other artists to join us in THREAD/BARE. AnneBruce had worked hard to develope many short narratives that responded to the work in the installation. We wondered if other artists could find their way into the work. Every artist did… and with an emotional range that overwhelmed me. Touching on themes of hope, love, violence, grief, loss, wonder, sexual assault, birth, death, connection and rememberance. Each artist made themselves completely vulnerable to the work. I will forever be grateful to the invited artists for the brilliant and thoughtful work each contributed. It was of course the concepts and artistry of AnneBruce Falconer that gave THREAD/BARE a soul.
A world of hurt surrounded THREAD/BARE. Many of the invited artistes were going through personal trauma during the time of the exhibition, to say nothing of the cathartic journey AnneBruce had worked with for months prior the beginning of THREAD/BARE. My own partner of twenty years died suddenly and unexpectedly one month before the opening date of our show. The broken heart on the wall became mine. We set out to make a work about vulnerability, transparency and healing. We met our mark.
