Egoskeleton

photo by America Blasco

This installation re-contextualizes my 2010 shag dress as an Egoskeleton.  It's a play words, yes, which I pretend to shy away from but find myself going back to, hehe.

In spiritual terms the ego often refers to the over-identification with the mind and the shedding of the ego, or realizing presence, is what Hinduism refers to as enlightenment, Buddhism, the end of suffering, and some Christ followers, salvation.  This piece is about successfully shedding the ego, if only temporarily, the remains seeming not unlike an exoskeleton.

I'm really happy with this use of the shag dress.  Last year I photographed it just laying around my house and was really fond of how it looked laying face down.  The back of the weaving is interesting, so I love being able to see it too.  So, when I started brainstorming as to how I would depict the idea of the ego being shed it was obvious that this was meant to be used for it.  It's so bright and showy after all.

I'm also interested in seeing it exhibited hanging upside down from a cord, as a kind of reference to the throwing of shoes on telephone wires to commemorate victories or large life accomplishments.  Yesterday I photographed it in this way, and as per usual I favoured the detail shots.  This is one of my faves (below)