Bardo ∞ Project
Creativity is a form of spiritual care. Bardo ∞ Project is an ongoing exploration of creativity as a form of spiritual end-of-life care, illuminating the positive effects of art as mind and body are integrated; coupled with relics from those journeys.
This premiere exhibition will feature photographic portraits of my end of life collaborators with related sculptures made at an Arts/Industry residency in cast brass, cast iron and vitreous porcelain; and are placed alongside unique works made by my artist collaborators. I made the first sculptures at a 2016 Arts/Industry residency at the Kohler Factory, based on time spent with my first collaborator, Brooklyn photographer Chris Brunkhart. We shared in his intense output of creativity as he faced his sudden diagnosis of stage 4 colon cancer and subsequent 16-month battle. I acted as a photo assistant and doula on his bucket list trip to Iceland with his husband, the goal was to make the last body of landscape photographs. Chris released 'Borderless Space' a limited-edition legacy photography book of his recent work two weeks before he died at age 47 on Jan. 2, 2016. Deepening my Interest in palliative care, I am in training at Parker Jewish Institute to be an INELDA certified end-of-life (EOL) doula, a volunteer role acting as a liaison to the dying and softening their process by working with patients & families to organize a plan for the death. Bardo ∞ Project is made possible in part with grant funding from the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone Development Corporation (UMEZ) and administered by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council. Additional support from Materials for the Arts, Fractured Atlas, Soda/WERKS and Spero Medical Group.
