Sewn, Sealed, Folded, Forgotten, Held

Forrest Russell’s sculptural project “Sewn, Sealed, Folded, Forgotten” is an exhibition of objects that once belonged to the artist and have been meticulously organized, sectioned, and sealed creating a much larger object, that leaves traces, evidence of someone’s life, and the life these objects once held.

This sculptural object transforms once our performer (Madz DeRose) interacts with the installation, bringing a human connection back to the objects. The performer moves through the space coming in and out of contact with this colossal mound of objects, working through depictions of being overwhelmed by the general scale and physical presence while simultaneously holding a sense of curiosity for the history and specificity behind each everyday object. Similar to the process behind the actual creation of this sculpture, the dancer’s objective is to include prompts such as collecting, organizing, and protecting. The objects themselves are protected by this plastic shield that the performer uses to ultimately protect themselves by at times encompassing their body within the sculpture, almost as if they are wearing the stories and belongings of another. That anonymity allows the viewer a more voyeuristic lens, to create their assumptions, stories, and connection between the object and the performer. When the dancer is utilizing the sculpture, the multitude of layers throughout the work becomes clearer. The structure itself overlays the dancer, protecting them and the separation between the dancer, the objects, and the viewer transforms. The performance ends with the interpreter being enclosed within the structure, hidden within a large mass of objects. In the end, these separations established throughout the performance begin to dissipate as the audience is invited to come up close and view the performer and object melded into one.