Anne Mudge

(USA, 1952)

Proposal

Entitled Heir Loom, San Diego artist Anne Mudge’s project consisted of a performance on the campus of California State University, San Marcos. In a courtyard of gridded grassy squares, the artist invited twenty participants to tell a story, to share a fragment of history specific to a person or event related to San Marcos. Within twenty grassy squares were carved body imprints, the grass and plant material removed, and each square was identified with a tile inscribed with the name of the participant as well as an acknowledgement of the person or event remembered. Each body recess filled with plant remains was lit on fire, symbolizing the cycle of life and death. The end of the project was marked by the planting of new growth with the body imprints, suggesting the start of a new story and with the trace of the memory of the event.

Curator: Deborah Small
Organizer: California State University, San Marcos
Venue: California State University, San Marcos