Idea: Immersion Series: Prayer Position: 2nd Edition

See: Immersion Series: Prayer Position

Here is an adaptation of the original "Prayer Position" series, I guess you can call it an exhibition.

Background: Influences include: the stigma against capitalism in indie culture; the fact that I am currently reading American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis.

Execution: The gallery should be one room, with very small dimensions. Like, comfortably fitting 5 standing adults. The walls should be dark, if not black, and little light should be entering the room from the outside (perhaps by means of curtains). The only light in the room will come from little, hot spotlights, one for each wall (on which will hang a portrait). Though I place an emphasis on the minuteness (possibly concealed) of the spotlights, stark lighting is ideal.

On each of the four walls, in the tiny room, will hang a LARGE, that is, Larger than Life-Size, photograph of a "model" businessman: slick two-piece suit; side part (or some other sophisticated style); expensive, dark jacket; expensive accessories (Rolex, nonprescription designer lenses, cuff links); perfect complexion; perfect teeth; etc. Like the original Prayer Position series, each of the four men are joining hands, although each man is in a separate frame. All aspects of the photo should be very flattering. The men are radiant, jubilant, proud, ecstatic about something, their heads seeming to toss back in rapture as they pray. Actually, their posture should really evoke the action of two people holding hands and spinning themselves dizzy, as done by kids on a playground. As if they are dancing like lunatics around...a pile of gold bricks? I'm extrapolating. But these are exactly the expressions I need in their faces: pure joy.

Although one might think the men are making themselves dizzy, the background should be still. Floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over a vast city, behind all four portrait subjects. The viewer must know that these man stand in the highest room of the tallest building in the city. It is a beautiful, clear blue day. On the walls behind the men hang plaques, diplomas, clocks, whatever might be in the office of a big-shot CEO. The decor should scream wealth, although I stress that for the most part there is window.

Other Specs: These "portraits" are photographs, and in order to intensify the larger-than-life aspect of these businessmen and really intimidate / awe the audience, the photos should be taken from approximately chest-level of the subjects, so that they are (just a little bit) looming over the viewer.

I request the walls of the gallery room to be dark and "starkly lit," so that an occult energy complements the expressions and motions of the praying businessmen. It makes these men, so self-important and invaluable to their company, the supreme point of focus, satiating their vanity.

Immersion Effect: Again, the audience has the option to feel like either (a) part of the circle or (b) the idol in the center. Or (c) The audience could also imagine that they are being mocked or derided by the subjects, the victims and objects of superciliousness / hubris.

The gallery room must be VERY small, I stress, so that one wall only fits one 8' x 6' (High x Wide) portrait. This way, there is a cap on the number of businessmen included in the circle, suggesting the exclusivity and cliquishness of these high-profile corporate positions.

Idea: Immersion Series: Prayer Positions

"We resemble martyrs

or trees, crooked and proud,

joined by our branches,

a strong forest of soul...

...And our faces our peaceful and

often thoughtful. Our eyes are

closed, but not shut."

Background: I had this idea at a leadership training orientation in the Bronx, as we, the congregants, stood holding hands in a circle and in unison recited the closing prayer for the day. I decided to study just one single person at a time out of the group; one of those moments when everyone's eyes are closed except yours, when you're peeking. And I was amazed at how serene this person's face had become. Hands linked  both left and right, palms outward, he quietly prayed. His posture, chest sticking out and arms hanging, head forward, made him look somewhat vulnerable, as if he were surrendering himself before a firing wall.
Then I realized that each person has his or her unique way of standing while praying, but that their body language always emulates the self-sacrificial pose of Christ on the cross.

Execution: This is the first installment of what I deem an "Immersion Series." The intention is, that a multitude of portraits with the same theme, arranged in a gallery or room with specific dimensions or topography, will produce the effect that the viewer feels as if he is part of the scene in the portrait, or a component of the subject's environment. You shall soon realize what I mean.

The idea is simple: A rather large, maybe 2' x 3' vertically-oriented photo of a lower-middle class, preferably minority individual, any age, standing in a prayer circle, reverent and focused in prayer. Really, it could be a candid photo. Just catch them praying, as they naturally would. But allow your subjects to be in particularly awkward or unnatural bodily poses, like with their chest sticking out, or their arms at certain angles from their sides, their heads cocked back or forward too much. These are subjective characteristics, but in every subject raw reverence should radiate through their clothing, like they were literally being grounded to the floor by the holy spirit.

Other Specs: The subject's full body must be within the frame, from head to toe. On both right and left extremes, you can see the ambiguous hands our subject is holding, but nothing past the wrist. The background can be any number of things, but some obvious ones are: A church basement (because no one really stands in prayer CIRCLES in a traditional cathedral...they sit in rows), a Park, a parking lot. Here's where you can get creative. Obviously if the background emphasized a humble, non-glitzy, working-class environment, that would go along with the theme. But I imagine you can throw a lot of interesting things in the background to make some sort of alternate statement, generate irony... Throw some crosses and religious icons on the walls, behind the subject!

The "Immersion" Effect: Arrange lots (20+?) of these portraits around the perimeter of a room (gallery), making sure to not "break the circle" by including any other type of work in the room. You want to give the illusion that these subjects are actually standing around the room holding hands and praying. I suppose, ideally, the backgrounds of all the photos should be consistent, to preserve the effect. Again, I'd be interested to see how one creative mind can modify or break this criteria to say something new!

Now here's the creative sweetener! As the audience / viewers / onlookers perceive these paintings in succession, or even as a whole unit, they will imagine one of two scenarios:

(1) that they are part of the circle themselves, engaged in worship with the fellow congregants. But what are they praying for? Who are they praying to?

(2) That the viewer is actually in the CENTER of the prayer circle, being prayed to! Like some sort of sacrifice, or object of sympathy, compassion, love. Maybe the audience is sick, and these praying folk are asking for the power of God to restore health. Maybe the audience is actually a religious idol, like golden statue, for some strange cult. I personally like this idea better, for the weirder implications it can draw. The artist can certainly embellish somehow to strengthen this innuendo in the picture.

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So, there's my first idea. Comments?