Catching Orbital Debris is a long-term research-based project investigating American Prison Museums. The project comprises essays and "forensic" images installed in a manner which refuses their role as documentary.
The first iteration centered around 'Morris', a man incarcerated and forced to maintain upkeep of the Louisiana State Penitentiary's museum 'The Angola Museum.
The second resulted in a text entitled Hue Shift Hear Say (published forthcoming in Spasm Magazine's inaugural issue: Broadcast), and involved attending countless NYC criminal court trials, trying to see how close I could get it to feel like Judge Judy.
The third installment explored the use of auto-pornography and sexual-voyeurism as a method to transform the Panopticon into a pleasure-object. Jumbotron came about after attending a tour for the blind of the Eastern State Penitentiary.
The fourth text totaled 4935 words and was produced following participation in a research study for an eye-technology device that I had to sign an NDA for, and thus am unable to describe further.
The fifth, and most recent iteration, recorded my time participating undercover during the annual Paranormal Psychic Convention taking place within the Ohio State Reformatory (most famous for it's use in Shawshank Redemption).
For additional information, documentation, and essays mentioned above, contact me: here.
'Catching Orbital Debris (The Ohio Suite)'
Currently on view as part of 'On Air', the Menschel Fellowship exhibition at 41 Cooper Sq, NY from February 6 - 22, 2024
with dictation-performance 'Informational-Edging (draft 1.2)' on February 6 from 7 - 8 pm,
and 'Jumbotron' on February 20 from 7 - 8 pm.)
7 distinct sites comprise '(The Ohio Suite)': '(Motel)', '(Ohio State Reformatory)', '(Ohio Corrections Museum)', '(Shawshank Museum)', '(2023 Paranormal Psychic Convention)', '(North Central Ohio Industry Museum)', '(Mama Mary, Mother Marie, and Christine)'. Each cycle through their own rotation in accordance to the *score during exhibition.
encompassing 114 archival pigment prints on top of one another, plexiglass, concrete screws, *score.
*Score: Periodically yet without reason, this stack of "forensic" images will be reshuffled; revealing a previously concealed image and concealing a previously revealed image. The image could be switched 3 times in a single hour or 3 times over the course of exhibition.
note: in accordance with the structure of this work, only 1 day (7 of the 114 images) is viewable through this website. Feel free to contact me if you would like to see further images.
'Catching Orbital Debris (The Ohio Suite)' installation view (room 1) during 'On Air: 2023 Benjamin Menschel Fellowship Exhibition'
'Catching Orbital Debris (Paranormal Psychic Convention 2023)' 21 archival pigment prints on top of one another, plexiglass, concrete screws, *score and 'Catching Orbital Debris (North Central Ohio Industry Museum)' 14 archival pigment prints on top of one another, plexiglass, concrete screws, *score
'Catching Orbital Debris (Shawshank Museum)' 18 archival pigment prints on top of one another, plexiglass, concrete screws, *score and 'Catching Orbital Debris (Mama Mary, Mother Marie, and Christine)' 3 archival pigment prints on top of one another, plexiglass, concrete screws, *score
'Catching Orbital Debris (Motel)' 15 archival pigment prints on top of one another, plexiglass, concrete screws, *score and 'Catching Orbital Debris (Ohio State Reformatory)' 21 archival pigment prints on top of one another, plexiglass, concrete screws, *score
'Doubly Dead Thing'
Reformatory Red wine, acquired in the Ohio State Reformatory gift shop
Just beyond the wall (if you can scale it), crystal is mutilated and left like a doubly dead thing.
'Catching Orbital Debris (Mama Mary, Mother Marie, and Christine)' 3 archival pigment prints on top of one another, plexiglass, concrete screws, *score
Big House Brews Morning Drill Blend, acquired in the Ohio State Reformatory's gift shop. brewed daily during exhibition for consumption.
Catching Orbital Debris (Angola Museum at the Louisiana State Penitentiary, St. Francisville, LA.)
Currently on view as part of 'Louisiana Contemporary 2023' at the Ogden Museum of Southern Art in New Orleans, LA from August 5, 2023 - February 18, 2024
22 archival pigment prints on top of one another, plexiglass, concrete screws.
Score: Periodically yet without reason, this stack of "forensic" images will be reshuffled; revealing a previously concealed image and concealing a previously revealed image. The image could be switched 3 times in a single hour or 3 times over the course of exhibition.
note: in accordance with the structure of this work, only 4 of the 22 images are viewable through this website. Feel free to contact me if you would like to see further images.
