To simplify.

I've been doing a lot of thinking about this crazy jumble of ideas that keep influencing my installation, and the other day I suddenly realized, I should probably edit myself before I get carried away in hyper-analyzing text and exploring too many over-the-head topics. I think it's important to start simple with what I know, and not get too caught up in theorizing.

Which reminded me of the workshop I did with StaceyAnn Chin a few years ago - it was about following impulses, and working with the types of work that you produce under extreme pressure and time constraint (sort of a word-association game, to get ideas on paper). What came to mind was this poem she wrote about translating cultural assumptions, and using specific vocabulary to categorize or clarify who and what we are as people. This is called "Cross Fire":

So what has this left me with? I realized it's not about how many ideas I have going on in my head, the interpretation is really all that matters in this, right? The "translation", rather? If I just keep going with what I've picked out so far for materials, and use those items as my own vocabulary for translating cultural assumptions about my identity, I wonder how our audience will ultimately perceive me, and what I've made.

CITED:

YouTube - Stayceyann Chin "Feminist or a Womanist" Perf. StaceyAnn Chin. YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. 24 Mar. 2007. Web. 25 Jan. 2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQOmyebFVV8>.