September 30, 2011 – Decline and Fall

When does it start? Did they look up one day in Ancient Egypt and say, “Hey, the nose fell off the Sphinx, we better do something about that.” When do things start turning to ruins? How do we tell the difference between Visigoths and Canadians? It’s a compelling question about many ancient empires left in ruins. When do you know?

With all that in mind, in case you haven’t heard yet, the Washington Monument took quite the beating in that recent earthquake centered in Virginia. Now, of course, the government will make every effort to repair and restore the Washington Monument. Or, will they? The American rightwing is determined to obstruct the workings of government at any costs. Will next year see the triumph of their campaign of polarization? Will the Red State/Blue State dichotomy become permanent?

They probably will repair the Washington Monument and we’ll all plod along. Or maybe we’ll look east from the California Republic as Sarahnewt Rick Bachmanromney fiddles while their country collapses around them. It might get interesting.

February 14, 2011 – Green Mandala

Over the years I have made a number of mandalas out of old maps. Usually my focus has been to use a particular color. Today, a small mandala to fit the project’s 4x4 format, and it is green. The green has been chosen for the green revolution that is coming to Iran. It is the green of freedom that is sweeping across the Muslim World. The maps include Tunisia and Egypt. And they include some of the places were’ going to hear more and more about in the coming days. Yemen, Iran, Algeria, Libya and Jordan and….

February 4, 2011 – Cairo

It’s not my intent to have the 2011 Project be a reflection of current events. Rather, it’s about what idea(s) come into my head for a piece of art on any given day. That said — Cairo is on my mind. Just over a week ago I opened an old scrapbook I have been cannibalizing for years. I did a piece about the Carr Family Vacation in 1961. The trip included a visit to Egypt. I went back to the scrapbook today. There was the tourist guide with the heading This Week’s Events in both English and Arabic. On the next page a postcard of the Tahrir Bridge in all its technicolor glory. I think I had never heard of the bridge until a few days ago.

We are unable to know how things will play out in Egypt in the coming days and weeks or even the next few hours. As the 2011 Project is about creating a map of the year, it seems appropriate to have buried some 50 year old, Egyptian ephemera under a coat of varnish this afternoon.