Memory Replacement World Trade Center

Memory Replacement World Trade Center is a Roaming Installation and Performance with Public Participation at the World Trade Center Memorial site in New York city. One of the most incredible days, a sunny November 4th 2018. The best day of my life, I was humbled and touched !! Thank you! x200 soon.

Thanks to Kenneth James for the incredible photographs and for being a great partner at the World Trade center site.

In this work I designed a self-contained primed canvas wearable and asked people from all walks of life and ages to paint, at the most iconic site in New York city - The World Trade Center 9/11 memorial site, a place of silent worship, remembrance, transcendence, reflection, astonishment, reverie. And now, painting.

With this work I was able to incorporate lessons from previous performances and design the wearable to be completely self contained - including the brushes and paint, like a mini art studio. Since the location was so sensitive I wanted the dress to be light and feathery, like something coming from a dream rather than a simple sack from primed canvas. And lastly but not the least of all consideration, I wanted it to be beautiful and tasteful rather than sharp angled and garish, or provocative. I wanted the action of painting to be the only provocation.

Here you can see the final Canvas Wearable from Memory Replacement World Trade Center – an amazing result from an incredible New York experience.

Memory Replacement World Trade Center Wearable

Memory Replacement World Trade Center Wearable, mixed media on canvas, 2018
Created during a performance and installation with public participation of the same name at the World Trade Center Memorial Site in New York City.

I am glad with this work I was able to incorporate lessons from previous performances and design the wearable to be completely self contained - including the brushes and paint, like a mini art studio. Since the location was so sensitive I wanted the dress to be light and feathery, like something coming from a dream rather than a simple sack from primed canvas. And lastly but not the least of all consideration, I want it to be beautiful and tasteful rather than sharp angled and garish, or provocative. I wanted the action of painting to be the only provocation. These days it has become a fashion in the arts to do just anything and call it art, the missed opportunity in that is that artists these days have no taste, they go for the lowest target of accomplishing a message. I do not want to simply construct a message, I am not a sign painter. I am a creator of beauty and meaning. Creating with taste is simply difficult, difficult to design and difficult to create. to create with taste will be my contribution to performance art. One of the lessons I learned working as an artist in the Silicon Valley is how to manage process where you take something that is ugly and unappealing and then you make it beautiful through iterations and continuous improvement. And this is the process I used to create this work.

White Primed Canvas wearable before the performance

Before

Memory Replacement World Trade Center Wearable - before the performance

Before

Memory Replacement World Trade Center Wearable - before the performance

Before

Memory Replacement World Trade Center Wearable - before the performance

Sketches and drawings

Memory Replacement World Trade Center Sketches

Memory Replacement World Trade Center Wearable sketch

A sketch in my notebook

Animations

Memory Replacement Wings

Memory Replacement Wings, digital simulation and animation with pen and ink drawings, dimensions variable, 2018
Inspiration animation for a performance of the same name.

We don't want to be replaced but we want to be changed. The soft touch of a wing, The light touch of a brush and a light stroke. The word of a friend, the whisper of a soft fold on a wing. A nod to a future with beauty, a reflection on color and gesture of goodness and friendship. A soft stand against violence. We draw brushes and our holsters hold paints.

Memory Replacement Wings, still

Memory Replacement, still from digital simulation and animation with pen and ink drawings, dimensions variable, 2018

Memory Replacement Wings, still

Memory Replacement Wings I

Memory Replacement Wings I, digital simulation and animation with pen and ink drawings, dimensions variable, 2018

Memory Replacement Wings Simulation. I incorporated blue sky and the blue color of windowed towers at the World Trade center site, flapping of wings and breathing patterns.

Memory Replacement Wings II

Memory Replacement Wings II, digital simulation and animation with pen and ink drawings, dimensions variable, 2018

In addition to the rhythm of the flapping of wings and breathing patters, here I also incorporated paper cuts and the folded surface the wings were carved from.

Mirena Rhee

Multiplanetary Artist

Memory Replacement World Trade Center