I AM SIMON.

[ by Sydney Croskery]
[ photography by Hannah Ross ]

I AM SIMON is a photography/performance project that presents the idea that
abstract painting's traditional idea of "painting for painting's sake" is an obsolete
concept in this day and age, and that a conceptual premise is necessary to further
this practice. It also challenges the notion of the machismo of abstract painting,
as well as the tortured troubled alcoholic artist as genius. We watch Simon, a male
abstract artist in his process of artmaking, in which smoking and drinking are an
integrel part. We never actually see what Simon is painting, and although they are
action shots, there is not actual evidence that he has made anything- the idea of
the artist is more important than the actual works made. It examines femininity
by examing masculinity. The ridiculous performance becomes the conceptual
premise in a process that is often devoid of ideas. It brings narcissism to the
forfront in a practice that can be sometimes looked at as narcissistic. We accompany
Simon through his moods of elation and sadness until his decline into passing out.

The following are a sampling of the many photos taken during this performance.