RAPHAEL DI LUZIO



An axisMundi is a concept derived from the ancient shamanistic tradition of establishing a metaphoric center of "protection" for a village or tribe. In the center of the village the shaman would place a staff that would define that place as the center of the universe. Anyone within a specified range of the staff was protected by its power.

The intention of this work is to explore the concept of the axis as a dynamic element of perception. I am interested in using the human body as a metaphor for the shaman‚s staff. To accomplish this goal, I have made a dual steady-cam device that I can wear while walking. It captures my approach and departure of what I am seeing as I walk.

In effect while wearing the device I metaphorically become a perceptual axis mundi or center of the universe. All the footage captured is then used to create each part in the axisMundi series. In effect the person wearing the device becomes the perceptual axis mundi or center of the universe. All the footage captured is then used to create each part in the axisMundi series.

For the Free Manifesta project, I propose to wear the device and walk around Frankfurt collecting images and sound for three days. On the fourth day I will edit, composite and compile them into a single piece five minute looping "film"burned onto a DVD. On the fifth day this piece will be projected onto on public area that was covered in the walk.



HOW TO LOCATE

I will be posting locations, and times at my WEBSITE [link temporarily unavailable] and at the website of TACHELES-- www.tacheles.de

Information is also available through inquiry via EMAIL



ABOUT THE ARTIST

I was born on the coast of Southern California in 1960. In 1986 I graduated from California State University Long Beach and received a B.F.A. with honors in painting along with a professional certificate in computer graphics from the University of California Los Angles. My graduate work began at Cornell University I to transferred to the University of Pennsylvania to study painting with one of the last students of Josef Albers.

Subsequently, I moved to New Orleans and began painting in addition to developing public art programs for children. Additionally, I did a number of public works projects for which I was the principle investigator. Over that last ten years I began to learn and eventually to create digital works in addition to painting. I continue to exhibit paintings as well as doing more elaborate digital installations.

Unlike painting, I create the digital works as a non-market driven endeavor. My interest is in creating works that have affect on an individual‚s sense of experience and memory of place. I have done installations in Europe, South America and at home in the United States. Earlier this year I finished up a series that began in 2000. This series was called "cerUbahn"and the last installation was at Tacheles in Berlin. I am currently working on a new series, "axisMundi"the first piece in this series will be shown in Havana Cuba in June at the IV Salon de Digital.



ARTIST'S WEBSITE [link temporarily unavailable]

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