Parasite

For the Neuberger Public Art Biennial in 2003 I made Parasite, an outdoor piece where hundreds of bright blue resin-cast rock climbing holds were attached to low-lying rocks in a shaded grove. The bright blue "glow" seen at a distance seemed organic, like a carpet of bluebells or a fungus. When seen up close, however, the tumorous forms revealed themselves as completely artificial. Rock climbing holds of this type are meant for indoor use to simulate rock surfaces for practice purposes; by attaching them to the very thing they are trying to imitate, they become parasites that call their own naturalism into question.