209 Hits to an Object Immovable, Impressionable

In July of 2012, I attended the Classic Session of the Harold Arts Residency, a two-week stay in rural Chesterhill, Ohio. There I purchased two brass knuckles (sold as paper weights) from the local gas station / liquor store / sex, and weapons shop, and ventured down one of the many paths on the Harold Arts property.

After locating an especially exquisite Beach Tree, I punched it while wearing the paper weights until my hands and muscles were too exhausted and sore to continue. The tree was then doused with alcohol to ritualistically cleanse its wounds.

While I also created a video of this action, I was primarily interested in imprinting a tree with the skulls found on the paper weights as a process of object making, using only materials readily available from my location. The impressions left on the tree will remain there for years to come, and upon close inspection, be visible to all future residents who venture down this same path.

Performance, HD video, brass knuckles, tree, whisky
TRT: 1:30
2012

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Ⓒ E. Aaron Ross 2024