Interactive Art project in School to Promote Meditation

Perhaps art only can prove itself when it is brave enough to leave the gallery setting.  One location that art seems to particularly result in the sharp downgrade in the status of a work of art, is when it appears in a grade school. Thus, this is the ideal place to have my work exhibited to make my point. 

Of course, as the work is interactive, it's not an exhibition, but rather a vehicle for exchange.  The most marked exchange inside of a school is that the students abdicate their freedom and will, in order to receive rewards or avoid punishments. While this is contrary to my vision for how education should be conducted, and contrary to the value of cultivating present-mindedness, given that the work will appear, and solicit interaction, within school walls, this carrot and stick approach will be employed. In that the work will inspire competition and herald the "winners."

An artist wants participation, just as an artist wants visitors to a gallery to engage. Students submit to authority in hopes of some day becoming the authority  If the system gives out awards as a stand-in for love, acceptance, and appreciation - students will grow up to see money or prizes as the customary stand-in.

The value system that my work purveys, is "meditation is good for you". This is to profess that peace of mind, quietude, and stillness improves one's life. But as with anything we're told is good for us, unless we already believe the value, then bribery is a powerful technique to inspire participation. This is true for children as well as adults.

The work of art consists of a camera attached to a computer sitting in a private room devoid of distractions. Participants are invited to watch a video of melting ice, stare at the floor, or to close their eyes. Facing the camera they're prompted to state their name. When they stand up, the computer then records how long they were meditating and the date and time. At the end of the week, or month, it presents a report of who meditated the most total time, and who had sessions with the highest frequency. Or perhaps just shows the total amount as compared to other galleries, institutions, or schools that hosted it prior. The video maybe then reviewed in high speed to ensure that they were meditating and not reading a book or texting their friends!
 
How does this relate to art? Marina Abramović suggests the artist's state of presence is more important than nature of the work itself. She says, "The artist should look deep deep within himself for inspiration. The deeper he looks the more universal he becomes. The artist is the universe."

Abramović calls for the artist to be transparent, to give and receive at same time. This work - and my work creating a mindfulness robot that reminds me when my breath changes, aims to do this. Being shown in a gallery, winning accolades, and selling the work is secondary and perhaps even a distraction. Further, in keeping with introspection and monitoring my thoughts as I monitor my breath and monitor the participants (whether in a school or gallery), I must admit that I invoked the authority of Marina Abramović to inform - or justify - my approach. She is a genuine inspiration, but I mentioned her to lend credence. In that sense I am aiming to enter the "art dialogue" - but this in my view is wholly unnecessary. 

Just as "love means never having to say you're sorry," I feel "being an artist means never having to explain yourself!"