The ongoing Confiscated Vagrant Vessel Series (2012-Present) examines how historical truths can be moulded, scrubbed, revised, skewed, masked and erased to support an established point of view. This project’s historical narrative mirrors the content one would find in an American history book, subtly trying to situate the audience on its side of the story. In this project’s configuration, the viewer is confronted with a technological barrier preventing them from directly accessing the art and historical records. If they can scan the QR tag on the access boards, they will be “allowed” to virtually engage with the history. While engaging with this virtual environment, the viewer is offered historical reports that tell the art object’s narrative. Upon closer inspection of the materials, they will encounter subversive elements, both evident and subtle, that will generate distrust in the provided history. These moments are meant to prompt you to reexamine the historical narrative’s context to gain a fresh understanding of the bias behind the revisions and obstructions.
In 2018 this project was part of the YOU NEVER KNOW HOW YOU LOOK THROUGH OTHER PEOPLE’S EYES exhibition at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Portland, Maine.
Historical Narrative for the Pear Act | Confiscated Vagrant Vessel Series
At the onset of 2536 CE, the search for the Antarctic Collective’s missing defense ship Golden Pear had intensified. The High Council initiated an emergency investigation into the Pear’s disappearance after the Antarctic Collective Navy lost all contact with one of its most advanced ships on December 12th, 2535 CE, near Bouvet Island. The bitter partisan disagreements over where and how to focus their search efforts sparked a political firestorm within the Council. This lack of unity led to many false leads and misleading assumptions about the Pear’s fate, stoking public anxiety over the countries’ security.
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Pear Act log entries on loan from the Rothera Historical Society
CONFISCATED VAGRANT VESSEL ACCESS BOARD
Scan the QR tag to access the Confiscated Vagrant Vessel log. Click the cards to enlarge. If you are unable to scan the tag, click the link below the board.
Confiscated Vagrant Vessel Log Art
In the Antarctic Collective Navy, it was tradition to employ artists to document the circumstance. The following are drawings made by witnesses observing evidence being collected under the Pear Act. Click the images to enlarge.
