Aislinn Thomas: “As I am and as I become” | Woody de Othello, "Defeated, depleted," 2018.

As I am and as I become: Defeated, depleted in five times Voice 1 Porque yo como estatua, me miran me admiran, pero no saben lo que yo por dentro estoy sintiendo.

Voice 2 What does my interpretation of what you think I am make you feel?

Voice 3 I am just here, so feel free to think what you'd like of me. It's fine.

Voice 4 I need to be recognized and I need to be acknowledged and not...brushed away.

Voice 5 You know, it's easy to be curious about me.

Voice 6 And you're not alone. There's other people that feel like you. And one created me. [pause] Voice 3 I am the subject of a ceramic sculpture called Voice 6 Defeated, depleted Voice 4 made by 1

Voice 2 Woody de Othello Voice 5 in 2018.

Voice 2 2018.

Voice 6 The artist was born in Miami in 1991.

Voice 2 He lives and works in Oakland.

Voice 1 Vive y trabaja en Oakland.

Voice 4 I would say I'm the size of almost like a medium sized dog.

Voice 2 Maybe the size of a small toddler sitting down, crunched over?

Voice 4 Yes, not too, too big. But I'm not small either.

Voice 2 Without the stool, maybe about two feet.

Voice 5 I guess the stool itself is probably, like, a foot high or something like that?

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Voice 1 a mi me importa amor. Me interesa ser feliz y dar felicidad a los demás. En ese aspecto me siento muy grande. [pause] Voice 2 I am a onyx, bright, shiny, black ceramic piece.

Voice 5 I'm, like, sort of the shape of a pear.

Voice 6 I have a couple mouths around me, in different directions.

Voice 5 Yeah, I've kind of got my parts all over the place.

Voice 4 I have two large ears, one larger than the other, and my arms are in places you wouldn't think arms would be.

Voice 3 One hand is facing up, fingers extended towards the sky. And the other one is palm to the side, palm outwards.

Voice 2 I am completely 360 dimensional.

Voice 3 And you would think with palms out and up, or to the side, you'd feel some sort of relief, maybe some 3

tension leaving your body but just the way that my arms are wrapped around with no start or end it just...there's tension. [pause] Voice 6 I have a knot on top of me.

Voice 3 I don't really have a head. It's more of a twisted, cylindrical shape.

Voice 4 It reminds me of a balloon being tied.

Voice 5 A little…hose.

Voice 2 Heart artery.

Voice 4 Or...a tube, or...

Voice 2 like, a giant rope.

Voice 4 The opening of a vessel?

Voice 2 A big water hose that is full and thick.

Voice 5 And the hose is tied up.

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[pause] Voice 4 I have some heftiness or some weight to me.

Voice 2 I feel heavy. And solid.

Voice 4 Especially on my base.

Voice 2 Yet I could look hollow. I could look fragile.

Voice 6 I am sitting on a blue stool with big, round legs.

Voice 4 A grey stool.

Voice 3 A bluish, grayish color.

Voice 4 With four legs.

Voice 3 Matte.

Voice 4 The legs of this stool are very nice and thick and sturdy.

Voice 6 Probably they're strong enough to support my pain, what I've been going through.

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Voice 5 It looks like, kind of like a playdough stool like it was made by a kid Voice 4 specifically for me. I fit perfectly on the round top.

Voice 2 I look purposeful.

Voice 5 I am within the realm of cute, you know.

Voice 2 I can look as if I'm holding onto an emotion and curled up and hiding. Or I could look as if I am fighting and climbing out of something.

Voice 3 I've never been told what people think about me.

Voice 2 Am I trying to escape? Or am I trying to hide?

Voice 3 I mostly get confused stares.

Voice 2 Am I trying to be free? Am I trying to go in?

Voice 3 They sit or stand and ponder at me.

Voice 2 Am I meant to be loud? Or am I meant to be discreet?

Voice 3 And they can walk all around.

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Voice 2 To see me completely you must walk around.

Voice 3 looking at every side, every protruding part.

Voice 2 Like a cloud, changing every direction.

Voice 6 Maybe I'm still trying to be anything I want.

Voice 1 Es algo impactante ver esto cuando miras.

Voice 2 I look like I fell apart and was put back together.

Voice 6 I have all human parts still in me. Maybe you don't see them in the right order, how you think it should be, but they're there. They're mine. [pause] Voice 2 Defeated, depleted.

Voice 6 I think it's a great title.

Voice 4 I feel that it does match me and the feelings that I go through.

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Voice 1 Me siento derrotado…eso es lo que como estatua estoy proyectando.

Voice 6 How you melt down within when we feel defeated, Voice 2 But without the title, I think a person may view me differently.

Voice 6 or there's just nothing else to hold you, and you fall apart inside.

Voice 2 I could look triumphant.

Voice 6 There's no bones. It's just your spirit is destroyed. [pause] Voice 3 I don't get to talk or say anything in regards to you.

Voice 4 But I'm here and I'm present. And...I'm not going anywhere.

Voice 1 Me siento que debí estar aquí. No hay mejor lugar que estar en esta galería.

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Voice 6 I feel happy that I'm here.

Voice 1 Voy a ser parte de la humanidad. Al estar en la galería como estatua, voy hacer parte de la humanidad.

Voice 6 I feel important, worth of you to see me.

Voice 1 Donde toda la gente te va apreciar, donde toda la gente te va juzgar tus defectos, se va a encontrar en sí misma.

Voice 5 It feels good. It feels like, I mean to be the subject of anything where you're not being the subject of disdain, but you're the subject of a piece of art...

Voice 6 Maybe I have a lot to say. Or maybe I have a lot to feel.

Voice 5 You know, I'm not, like, on the trash heap on the corner of the parking lot outside.

Voice 4 It feels good to be represented.

Voice 6 And there's hope, because I'm here. [pause]

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Voice 2 I hope to be viewed with many interpretations.

Voice 3 I would like to ask my Creator what they were feeling when I became. If I had the chance I'd also ask, you know, would you have made me again? Would there be anything you'd like to change about me?

Voice 1 Como escultura yo creo que hay algo que no han descifrado de mi interior.

Voice 6 I wish for to be admired. Not to be understand Voice 1 Es lo que falta. Verme…mi interior.

Voice 3 And sometimes I wish somebody could untie this...rope.

Voice 2 I want to be touched, but please don't touch me.

I'm reaching out, but don't hold my hand.

Voice 6 There's hope. As long as we're still here. Maybe I'm hope *** Contributors

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Voice 1 Voice 2 Voice 3 Voice 4 Voice 5

Alexia Diaz Brissa Ibarra América Barcenas Rojana Ibarra Ronald Feichtmeir

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