The Obstruction Project

This month, November 2018, I begin The Obstruction Project. What is THAT, you ask? Read on.

The Five Obstructionsis a 2003 Danish film by Lars von Trier and Jørgen Leth. In the film, Von Trier gives Leth, his friend and mentor, the task of remaking The Perfect Human — one of Leth’s seminal short films — five times, each time with a different ‘obstruction’, or constraint, given by von Trier. For example, in one obstruction, Leth must remake the film as a cartoon.

The film provides a way to look critically at one’s process and to break out of default modes of making and working. An endeavor like this can challenge and propel a new way of thinking and making. I am longing for such a thing.

So. I am using this film as inspiration for my next project. I intend to remake The 50 Card Project (well not exactly) TWELVE times with the help of 12 friends and family members. Every month beginning November 2018 and ending October 2019, I will make something that reframes the events occurring in our country right now using the statement “liberty and justice for all” as my guiding light. This was what motivated The 50 Card Project. I have invited people who know my work well, and can challenge me in very unique ways.

The set of obstructions can be what they like using the three categories below.

• A formal obstruction: material, technique, how things are made.
• A methodological obstruction: the system to the process or the how behind the making
• A conceptual obstruction: not really an intention, but the concept behind the piece

Here are two websites that go into the ideas a bit more should you be interested:

http://mitchgoldstein.com/obstructions/index.html

http://jarrettfuller.com/projects/five-obstructions-class

I will be sharing my progress on Instagram. This month’s obstruction, from my husband, challenges me to explore anger, outrage, to create something that unmistakably says “f**k that”. And if you know me, you know just how hard that is going to be.