Louis-Pierre Lachapelle
100 HEADS, Materials: Resin, fiber glass, prints, fabrics, LED light, metal wire, 2009-2010
100 HEADS, Materials: Resin, fiber glass, prints, fabrics, LED light, metal wire, 2009-2010
Artist Statement
After moving to Philadelphia three months ago, I became, for the first time of my life, an “American”. I was not surprised by the cultural diversity, but more so the way people interacted with each other. Initially, it seemed that the citizens of Philadelphia had not yet discovered effective forms of communication. I was curious to find a public space - a place where people from different cultures could share the same environment without acting violent and aggressive. Biking from the south to the north part of the city every morning and night, I observed the extreme diversity across Philadelphia. Sounds, smells, feelings, frustrations, tastes, sensations and happiness flooded my mind. Interested in the way people behave in their own environment, I use mannequin heads as a vehicle to interact with the public. The mannequin heads acts as a neutral mold, having no previous connection to color or gender. In my studio, I attempt to recreate new features inspired by my everyday experiences.
The creative aspect of the project takes place outside by bringing the heads in different zones of the city. Without touching, recording, filming, or taking any pictures, the work becomes fully controlled by the public. I no longer possess ownership of the objects. I give the viewer all the tools in order to document the work in the way they perceive these lighted objects in their familiar environment. I am simply an instigator of a process
directed by the public. The engagement of others and their personal perception and discovery of the heads is the core creative direction of the work. I become the viewer of my own instigation, where the real work takes place.