Paul Lazes, a Martha’s Vineyard resident, and his brother Rick Lazes, a sculptor, music and film producer, and inventor from North Carolina, recently collaborated on an art project for the Martha’s Vineyard Museum. With the facility just recently opening to the public, the museum has made an effort to provide outdoor exhibits. The Lazes brothers’ double construction will be on display on the expansive lawn overlooking the Vineyard Haven Harbor through the end of the month.
Each of the artists developed an individual piece that will make up the dual installation. They are united by a theme. “NOW! Art in the Times of the Coronavirus,” as the collaborative work is titled, focuses on the past and the future, inviting visitors to interpret where in the grand scheme of things the viewer finds himself now — in the present.
For his piece, “Tune In,” Rick Lazes constructed a large roomlike open box that houses a montage of iconic imagery from the past. Vintage photos hang on the three walls, while a pyramid of vintage television sets shows a montage of video content that has been mined from hundreds of hours of TV programs from the ’60s.
In the press release, the artists write, “Our goal is to encourage the viewer to question how we understand and experience our history, reality, social equality, and personal relationships with each other and media technology.”
Next to Rick’s piece is a similar full-size box structure, this one housing Paul Lazes’ work, “Choice.” His installation is in the form of a diorama, featuring multiple mannequins standing with their backs to the viewer. Some are black, some white, some adults, some children. The backdrop is a photo mural of the Tashmoo Overlook under a perfect blue summer sky.
The artists write, “Like it or not, we are becoming ‘synthetic’: Our body parts are replicable — all information is at our fingertips. There is always the potential the Garden of Eden is where we are, not somewhere else. What is our future? Is it something to fear?”
In a phone interview Paul Lazes said of his representation of the future, “To me it’s a positive thing. It’s not something to resist. It’s something to embrace. It’s a given. We’re already replacing all of our body parts. They’re putting chips in us. The natural inclination is to fear it. I think that’s a mistake. People have always feared the future.”
The installation is due to go up on Thursday, August 6, when there will be a musical performance with off-Island classical musicians from 5 to 6 pm. Every Thursday evening throughout August, there will be a different live performance. On August 20, storytellers Julia Kidd, Jenny Allen, and Nancy Aronie will read from their work. On August 27, the band Pickpocket will play.
As described in the press release, “‘NOW!’ is an artistic installation about where we are, as human beings, now that we have been hit by a global pandemic and its impact. Our lives have radically changed, and where we go from here is up to us moving forward.”
