Hello Agnieszka! your post is really interesting, it gave me a lot to think of. I saw Francis Alÿs work, its poetic act creates meaning, it reminded me of performance art.
“Performance art can be any situation that involves four basic elements: time, space, the performer’s body and a relationship between performer and audience. It is opposed to painting or sculpture, for example, where an object constitutes the work.” It will be interesting to blend both, and make an object that constitutes the work but its also involved with the body provoking a relationship and reaction on the public; the reaction is the deciding factor of the art.
I was looking at artist Tanaka Atsuko (1932–2005) was a pioneering Japanese avant-garde artist.
“Her best-known work is “Electric Dress”, invented in 1956, a burqa-like costume consisting of electrical wires and lit-up coloured lightbulbs. Tanaka wore the dress to exhibitions. Her inspiration for her signature work “Electric Dress” was from a pharmaceutical advertisement illuminated by neon lights. The bulky garment expresses the body’s circuitry, and acts like a costume. Here, the work lights up sporadically, giving off the sensation of an alien-like creature. According to the Gutai artists, Tanaka’s work symbolized post war Japan’s rapid transformation and urbanization[2]. When Tanaka wore her dress for the first time, her face and hands were the only visible subject. She had noticed the trepidation when she had worn it and flipping the switch: “I had the fleeting thought: Is this how a death-row inmate would feel?”
She made this piece in reaction to the problems she was dealing at the time, what are our problems right now?
I feel problems now a days for me are: digital world and lack of appreciation for nature
I feel the world degrading. Technology brings you facility and time, it makes you forget about what we really are, humans. I feel we are heading toward a digital world where we are most likely to be acting all the same.
Usually people here in Latin America dream about going to Europe or the US because of its development and new opportunities, big metropolis, new thing to get, and I confess I have feel the same way too. But I have also met people who want to come to Latin America because of the pureness of the place, where things still work as they used to years and years ago, a less develop country, full of nature. Last summer I went to Costa Rica, we went up the coast of Guanacaste Peninsula though all the beaches. I can say its one of the most beautiful places I have visited, everything was so not humanized , so natural, it was you and mother nature. But I was surprised to find that most of the people that live there were Europeans. It was like a little group of European found paradise and had stayed there ever since, and that is actually their explanation for living there. I remember talking to an Italian women who own a small restaurant, she was surprised that we, people actually from Latin America, were there since usually there are only european tourists. I remember she said ” what happens is that we want what you have and you want what we have”, and she is right people tend not to appreciate what is in front of them. Im curious to know how you feel about Latin America?
How can a piece of jewelry create a reaction on others? how can we make them appreciate/consider nature? I’m interested in a physical art object that can bring a possibility of change, connecting art to the larger world.
Pictures of my trip to Costa Rica
  
Dear Maria,
My thoughts about Europe versus Latin America would be pure speculation since I only have been to Mexico and that was quite long time ago!
To be honest I do not feel a big frustration about issues you wrote. I think it is quite human to long for something different, another place to be, a better circumstances…with some limits of course! This is what makes us to go on in our lives or deal with difficulties. I am happy for you that your frustration brings something good in the end, appreciation of your life and what you have. So the grass on your side is greener for you! That is great!
Did you start think about materialization of your (and ours) thoughts?
Any work in progress? If not how would you like to start?
Agnieszka
Hello Agnieszka,
I don’t really feel a frustration but rather a belonging. I’m thinking of using objects from nature, protecting them with metal to create a emphatic/ nostalgic sense ( kind of my piece done previously shown below) . Nature has a conforming presence for me whether I’m here or there, so it will be nice to carry it with me, reminding me of my identity when I’m walking the gray area. For our collaboration piece I’m thinking about contrasting the city life with nature. I plan to use found objects. I have some incomplete sketches to show you, but nothing physically done. What are your ideas for materials? How is your work going?
Dear Maria,
How are you doing? Sorry for being silent for some days.I found an interesting image for you dealing with issues civilization contra nature but from completely different angle (!), please look here.
http://www.corbisimages.com
Please write the name and number (Terra 42-19723192) in the window for search and hopefully you can look at it.
Terra 42-19723192
Vegetation Intruding on Empty School in Pripyat
Empty schoolrooms in Pripyat, once the largest town in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone with 49,000 inhabitants, stand as testament to the sudden and tragic departure after the Chernobyl Nuclear Accident in 1986.
I am working on an idea we talked about before. The grass is not greener on the other side of the fence. Sayings pretend often to be so definite like they would own the truth about life. In fact this particular one is really in between, (in the grey area!) It depends from which side of the fence you look…
Finally some other pictures which intrigues me. What do you think when you see them ?
I hope to post some work in progress soon.
Best greetings
Agnieszka
Hey Agnieszka!
When I saw your photos I thought about xenophobia, and it relates to the phrase grass is not greener on the other side since there are so many possibilities wheater you let people in or not either its on your life, on this beach , in your country….influences are endless it depends on how easy you get bored therefore how much change or routine you need in your life ( security vs risk and all the things that come along with both ends) “ when you get to the other side, you just may wanna come back…. ” its hard to decide on one thing once you have tasted so many, maybe its easier to remain with in your area as this signs suggest, but easy is not always the best….
 
I saw the photo you sent me, and its ironic since this is one of the worst accidents to the enviroment, but in this photo you can see how the vegetation grew again and took its place again, kind of the cycle of regenaration -> this relates to the idea of migration, kind of regenerating ones life in the gray area or out of it, its all a cycle, finding the green.
I really like the phrase ” grass is not always greener on the other side”. It can have many approaches. To me every side has its green part, not as better but as different. It all depend on the eye of the beholder . I like to show my green side of my actual area (importance of nature) so as a jewelry function this can be carried around with you as you walk into different areas.
Hey Agnieszka!
This is what I’m working on. I try to express words like -> unity, reminder, nostalgia, and at the same time trying to relate them to the wearer enhancing the sense of smell . Some of the pieces smell, and so they bring me memories mostly about my childhood reminding me about my identity. As for others I want to show them my green side of the fence, and remind them about the presence of nature. Point that realates to the idea of our collaboration piece………awareness, nature, green, technology, metropolis, fragile, balance…….. how is everything going for you? 
Hi Maria,
nice to see your work! it look interesting.
I show you some pictures of my process. I had “The grass is not greener…” in my mind and tried to express its complexity. This saying is so banal and simple and in fact for you and me it is not greener but for so many others people in the world it really is. I could not get rid of that thought. I was thinking also about demarcations lines, before and after. When something starts and when it stops ? I wanted to make a piece with different layers, colors and expression. The first one “green” turned out to “pretty”.
I decided to work with the last picture.
Greetings
Agnieszka
Hey Agnieszka!
I was looking at your pictures and I love all the textures you have, either physical or visual. Your last picture reflects visual texture along with thee gray shades…it is quite interesting. I have been working on our collaborative piece, and I’ ve also been thinking a lot about the idea of the grass is not greener on the other side…. there are so many perspectives to it. I’m creating a hair accessory made with silver, nature elements and wire, trying to create harmony between each materials connotation and at the same time express my green thoughts. The position of the piece as it lays on the head gives more power and reference to the piece as well….
These are some pictures:
 
Dear Maria,
the result of our dialogue:
The grass is not greener on the other side of the fence
Photo: Mats Håkason
See you soon!
Agnieszka
Hey Agnieszka!
I agree with our dialogue results – “The grass is NOT greener on the other side of the fence”
I’m glad you are going to Mexico! I’m excited to meet you!
See you soon!
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