Bleeding from the Outside In

How does art adapt through time? New mediums emerge every day, so how can one artist attempt to stay on top of it all. Artist Emily Dzieweczynski bridges the gap between traditional artistic mediums and modern technology, exploring how technology enhances artistic expression, affects the human psyche, and impacts the modern world. Meet Emily & enjoy the exhibit at the opening reception on September 26 from 6-8pm at the Larson Art Gallery. Light refreshments will be served.

This installation explores themes of closeness, deterioration, separation, death, grief, and holding each other. Throughout the space, a fragile weaving of electrocardiogram (ECG) paper — blank, yet ready to hold life — hangs throughout the room. 
ECG paper records how fast the heart is beating, the rhythm of the beats, and the strength and timing of the electrical impulses. Poetically, it’s a record of our aliveness, a metaphor for our existence, and a symbol of our fragility. The paper is also thermally reactive, taking on a dark appearance when exposed to a low level of heat. Visitors are invited to alter the state of the ECG paper over the course of the installation using heat guns. These small tools blow hot air without exceeding temperatures that could burn the paper or people.

Additional elements include a monitor playing a video of ECG paper as it records an individual’s heart beat. Overlaying the video is a stream of consciousness poem about the joys and pains of proximity. Studies have explored the phenomenon of heart rate synchronization between individuals who are in close physical proximity. This synchronization is thought to reflect a deep physiological connection between people. While closeness may pose inherent risk, we are wired for connection. By acknowledging the power we hold to affect other lives, perhaps we can better cherish the beauty, vulnerability, and fragility of being close.