The summer before my second grade year, my family moved. Although we only moved 15 minutes across town, I was in a new school district and lost touch with many of my old pals. Three of my best friends--Luke, Michael, and J.R.--went on to be outstanding high school athletes and play college football at Duke University, Rutgers University, and the University of Richmond, respectively. However art, not sports, was my forte in high school. Suffice it to say, I haven't played collegiate sports, but growing up I always wanted to. What if I hadn't moved? Would I have excelled in sports and received a scholarship to play in college? Would I then have ever pursued art?
In this project, I plan to address such questions in a process piece in which I will attempt to "mold" myself into a football team's kicker/punter. Why choose such an obscure and most unglorious of positions? Well, had I played football, and given my soccer background, this is most likely the position I would have played. While participating in an ongoing training and conditioning regimen, I will record and chart my progression (or regression) on a weekly basis in given exercises such as flexibility, vertical leap, kicking distance, etc. There will also be further information posted, such as conditioning charts and "performance" dates. The timetable for this project is openended, but will likely last much longer than this spring.
If you would like to hear a sample of the artist describing his work, please click here.