Aspects of the Art

 

inside, joe  (link),  2001, .06”H x 2.06”W x 3.5”D (cor-ten steel, wire) is located inside those windows above Joe at The Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts.  This small, site-specific piece not only refers (or links) to the inside of Richard Serra’s wonderful Joe sculpture (deep beyond the cor-ten rust, the inner metal), but also to Joe Pulitzer’s love of art (his inside) which is fully shown in the foundation for the arts that he and Emily created together.                                       

                                                                                      — A letter from The Pulitzer

Cross Shadow,  2007,  22’H x 15’W x 10’D  (stainless steel, light, shadow) is a site-specific crucifixion feature that was commissioned by the Catholic Church (Chicago).  It’s location is a circular garden columbarium with 5’ foot high walls, that allows the sculpture to cast cross shadows on the loved ones’ niches throughout the days and years.  Rich symbolism relating to the Holy Trinity was achieved in the sculpture’s minimal design.   

Gig  (memories on walls),   2000,  40”H x 120”W x 12”D  (computer hard drives, silicon wafers) is displayed at Washington University’s Des Lee Gallery and art-loft living facility in downtown Saint Louis.  This piece employs one of the most basic elements of art, that of putting memories on walls...man has been doing that since the beginning of time…it is art.  Here the artist does it at the dawn of the 21st century...the early part of the digital revolution.  “These are old corporate memories (IBM mainframe)…a gigabyte, weighing approximately 400 lbs.”. 


Note: The silicon wafer (the microchip surface) is the physical place…the exact location and surface where we are now being completely transformed…a transformation that is having dramatic societal implications...as we all know, “The digital revolution is changing everything!”

Wired,  1993,  50”H x 109”W x 12”D  (thermionic valves, wire) is currently displayed at Washington University’s Des Lee Gallery and art loft facility in downtown Saint Louis.  Created from components of the first electronic computers (like Colossus & ENIAC), Wired provides a physical presence for our early notions of being “online” (remember those early dial-up modem sounds).  Wired heralded the digital age (www) and its incredible transformational power...like an early signpost on the now archaic “Information Superhighway”.

Wireless   (Contact),  2000, 72”H x 100”W x 50”D (aerials, aluminum, stainless steel) is additionally located in Washington University’s (St. Louis) art & living facility, University Lofts.  Aerials (visible ones) have significance since they are very close to being a thing of the past, while also being able to symbolize and give physicality to the incredible communications revolution the world is witnessing.  Wireless communications have been around for sometime, but have had new significance in recent years and are now exploding throughout the entire world.  This piece of artwork is also an “inter-active” and can dramatically change size and form (like communication networks today).

Wi-Fi,  2002,  48”H x 115”W x 3.5”D (computer chip silicon wafers, aerials) is similar to Wireless in that it also attempts to give physicality to the omnipresent yet ethereal digital networks, which surround us all today.  Wi-Fi (wireless fidelity) and cellular devices are basically just silicon chips, aerials and power.  Note: The number of nodes (units) varies from installation to installation.  “Like notes in the air...the ones and zeros of binary code.”

Blackwhite,  2006, 19.5”H x 69”W x 4.5”D  (stainless steel, inflatable roho)  black & white, light & dark, occur often in Dotzler’s work…maybe it comes from the conclusions he has reached about our overall state of affairs (consider Orwell’s “1984” and the aim of Newspeak).  The dark side of this artwork puffs up, just like the dark side in the real world.  It uses (inflatable) roho, a tech material known to those physically challenged.  “Blackwhite” was exhibited at The Paraquad Show in St. Louis (2006), an organization that supports the physically challenged (many, due to the dark side’s imperialistic wars...also see BushCo).  This piece offers depth and a cool elegance, while also being playful and interactive at the same time.

telco,  2002,  wireless world,  2001*,  router,  2002, dimensions variable, (aerials, stainless steel, glass) are small “inter-actives” relating again to the communications revolution.  They whisper of its ominous side...the omnipresent eyes of the corporate-government surveillance state (also here) and the ghastly tech panopticon that is now in place and operational.  These works of art can dramatically change size and form.


* Made for Adam Aronson.  Presented in a special Zero case w/ component pouches.

constant war,   2006,  45”H x 14”W x 16”D (machine gun belt feed)

vicious  circle,   2010,  9.5”H x 9.5”W x 9”D  (machine gun belt feed)

constant war (article - video) is a protest piece Dotzler exhibited at Paraquad, an organization that offers support for paraplegics in the community.  Spinal column injuries are prevalent among those served by Paraquad.  constant war, is a mobius strip (or infinite loop) which allows for wall or surface installation with a shape that is flexible and interactive.  vicious circles (a series), refers to the circular reasoning of politics and war. 

evidence box,  2000,  9”H x 9”W x 7.5”D  (media box, computer hard drives, light, electrical cord)  It has become a common practice by authorities in recent years to confiscate the computer hard drives of all persons of interest (taking their memories).  This is significant when you consider that not too long ago an individual’s library records were private, respected and only made available to authorities in the most extreme cases.  This piece is part of Dotzler’s memory box series.


"This artwork contemplates contemporary nomenclature,

relational dimensions and material issues."

“Joe”   Richard Serra

    “inside, joe”   Mark Dotzler

dark fibre,   2012,  11”H x 4”W x 4”D   (fibre-optic cable, steel)  -  wiki

hard drive,  1994,  31”H x 10”W x 10”D   (hard drive, thermionic valves, metal, mask)

hot,  1996,  48”H x 12”W x 11”D  (thermionic valves, wire & cable) two are earlier pieces based again on the first computers and the elegance inherent in binary code and the digital revolution.  Being single thought or memory driven is another theme conveyed by hard drive.  “What we are witnessing now has already completely dwarfed the impact that the industrial revolution had on civilization...and this revolution is just getting started!”

byte,  2008,  17”H x 74”W x 5”D (computer chip silicon wafer, titanium, steel spheres, chrome bulbs)  is a piece of minimal code art (programable).  It’s for simple beauty and a byte of code.

node, 2002, 8”H x 8””W x 3.5”D  (aluminum, silicon computer chip wafer)

favorites,   2009,  11”H x 11”W x 11”D  (pewter sphere, bouncy doorstops)


The Split,  2007,  26"H x 20"W x 18"D  (aluminum, physics books, iPod running a countdown timer program, light, shadow) uses the shadow of a “High School Physics” book to represent World Trade Center, Building #7 that fell into its own footprint at free fall speed (6.6 seconds) on the afternoon of September 11, 2001.  We were told that fire caused it to fall, but that is impossible and defies the basic Laws of Physics.  The title, The Split, has a number of meanings here, but chiefly refers to a split in the seam of reality that occurred on 9/11.  It also refers to the split in society...those who are aware and those who are not (some willfully so).


Prints                             The Split - Background Page

vicious circles,  2012,  14.5”H x 33”W x 18”D  (machine gun belt feeds — one new, one used)  Part of the “vicious circles” series that refers to the circular reasoning or logical fallacy in politics, absurd monetary policies, our disgusting resource wars and “interventions”, torture and other blatant crimes against humanity that all promulgate havoc and discord.

missing, joe  (void),  2007,  3.25”H x .8”W x .8”D  (cor-ten steel, stainless steel)  is a companion piece to inside, joe that’s significant through both its minimal and relational aesthetics.  This piece relates to the fact that Joe Pulitzer wasn’t there to experience the wonderful foundation for the arts that he and Emily had carefully planned for together and was sadly missing from the leadership desk that had been intended for him.  [Another interesting aspect is related to technology in that the two pieces of artwork create a subtle 01...the essence of the digital age.  The 01 also serves to commemorate the foundation’s 2001 opening.]  This petite cor-ten steel sculpture is delightfully juxtaposed with Richard Serra’s huge one...just outside the window.  Interesting possibilities are also offered when missing, joe is viewed as a maquette.

                                                                                                  — Pulitzer Collection

BACKGROUND NOTES:   missing, joe employs the cor-ten steel void or hole (think edible donut holes) left from the making of inside, joe which was then carefully weathered over several years prior to mounting.


It represents the void left through the loss of Joseph Pulitzer directly, but also symbolically, as corporate-government “managed” news became fully apparent, exposing mainstream media’s intentional and frightening loss of backbone, ethical standards and journalistic credibility.  See: Gallup   6%  /  CNN   related article  /  Presstitutes  /  Headline Rate  /  rare TV honesty  /  Choice  /  Abby Martin  /  Orwell Rolls in his Grave  /  Murrow  /  Paul Craig Roberts & here  /  Bernays

carnal health,  2012,  12”H x 6.5”W x 6”D  (inflatable Laryngeal Mask Airways)

cluster,  2009,  19”H x 11”W x 10”D  (inflatable roho, aluminum)

BACKGROUND NOTE:  On January 14, 2002 a small installation ceremony (subtly choreographed) took place in the President’s office of The Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts.  On that day, a seemingly insignificant desk grommet was elevated to fine art and serves as a wonderful finishing touch for an incredible arts foundation.

flying heads,   2009,  16.5”H x 4.25”W x 7”D ea.  (ebony veneer, mdf, computer hard drives, lead glass, MAG-LITE)  Part of the memory box series.  Note: Flying heads are the little finger like devices with pads in computer hard drives that read-write (or touch) the 1s and 0s of binary code.

“They could be made to accept the most flagrant violations of reality ... and were

not sufficiently interested in public events to notice what was happening.”


‒ George Orwell 1984



See: Ed Asner


See: 9/11

Revisited