To Kiss on a Battlefield, Act 1
synthesized sweat, aluminum (alloy 6061), microcrystalline wax, 62h sound recording, et al.; performance
March 18th — April 16th, 2023
California Institute of the Arts, Santa Clarita, CA
To Kiss on a Battlefield is a project revolving on the creation and iteration of a ground of formal abandonment.
"How can something be made (or make itself) while unclaiming capture? How can something, rather than formally assuming some type of relation-ship to its own idea, radically unclaim that connection, working solely as a sacrificial, oblique return system to the very pulse of that idea, in the constant hope to live a life that isn’t death; how can something be a bankside, to a river/field that is continuous, and continuously opening?"
[note to Self, March 14th, 2023]
Beginning and grounding through such paradoxical questioning, To Kiss developed as a material, performative, and theoretical methodology of besideness and continuity. One that has found and entrusted its backbone in-to an open material, a fluid medium, the spread: a process and a DIY custom-made semi-liquid solution composed in measured and unmeasured proportions of the chemical components of human sweat, heavily unbalanced in its sodium percentage, crystallizing as it dries, an odorous, reversible slurry, covering surfaces and crevices, turning them into a ground on and from which capture, hold, and release can coexist in a continuous gait.
The exhibition and the aftermath of Act I, accompanied by a quasi-aphoristic essai (attempt) in 23 points and modeling notions of Beside Representation, Chunk, and material openness, critique through exposure the contemporary normalcy of embattlement, acknowledging, exposing and relegating trauma (wound) as paradigm so to informally imagine kissing as its inverse.
This page, in combination with the publication to kiss on a battlefield / act 1 / texts, is an attempt to mediate a project whose nature is deeply, irreducibly experiential.
performances in Act 1 by kayla dobbs, aviana glover, clemente ciarrocca
documentation of Act 1 by yun gi ahn, zoe moon, logan wolfe, clemente ciarrocca
To Kiss on the Battlefield, Act 1 came to life thanks to the invaluable contributions, support, love and friendship of many, including yun gi ahn, erick benitez, ben borden, alexandria carrion, kayla dobbs, gloria galvez, boz deseo garden, aviana glover, michael ned holte, ak jenkins, chris johst, herry kim, steven lam, wes larios, dhyandra lawson, nick lee, kai-luen liang, francesca loffreda, lena martin, poodle moran, mpa, isabel riedling, naomi sam, julie tolentino, logan wolfe

To Kiss on a Battlefield, Act I, 2023, perfomance still, with performer Kayla Dobbs, no-flash documentation by Logan Wolfe

To Kiss on a Battlefield, Act I, 2023, installation view, no-flash documentation by Zoe Moon
covering the floor:
The Spread, 2023; synthesised sweat (full composition available in to kiss on a battlefiedl / act 1 / texts)

To Kiss on a Battlefield, Act I, 2023, perfomance still, with performer Kayla Dobbs, no-flash documentation by Logan Wolfe
covering the floor:
The Spread, 2023; synthesised sweat (full composition reported in to kiss on a battlefiedl / act 1 / texts)
in the background:
Chunks, 2023, microcrystalline wax; 43x28x20cm
The Sun, 2023, aluminum, low-light led panel, polymer filter, wax, cellulose; 18x8x45cm

To Kiss on a Battlefield, Act I, 2023, perfomance still, with performer Kayla Dobbs, no-flash documentation by Logan Wolfe
covering the floor:
The Spread, 2023; synthesised sweat (full composition reported in to kiss on a battlefiedl / act 1 / texts)
leftside:
Chunks (detail), 2023, microcrystalline wax; 43x28x20cm

To Kiss on a Battlefield, Act I, 2023, perfomance still (the kiss), with performers Kayla Dobbs and Aviana Glover, no-flash documentation by Logan Wolfe

To Kiss on a Battlefield, Act I, 2023, perfomance still (the third), with performer Clemente Ciarrocca, no-flash documentation by Logan Wolfe

To Kiss on a Battlefield, Act I, 2023, installation view, flash documentation
covering the floor:
The Spread, 2023; synthesised sweat (full composition reported in to kiss on a battlefiedl / act 1 / texts)
in the foreground, from left to right:
You are in the minefield again. / Someone who is dead now whispers to you: / this is where you can learn to dance., 2023; cnc-engraved aluminum plate; 76x38cm
Where does the difference between rise increase growth and invasion lie / Only where it spread are you able to walk, 2023; cnc-engraved aluminum plate; 76x121cm

To Kiss on a Battlefield, Act I, 2023, installation detail, flash documentation
The Spread, 2023; synthesised sweat (full composition reported in to kiss on a battlefiedl / act 1 / texts)

To Kiss on a Battlefield, Act I, 2023, installation detail, no-flash documentation
Chunk (Heart), 2023; aluminum; 9.7x11.4cm (diametrical measurements)

To Kiss on a Battlefield, Act I, 2023, installation detail, flash documentation
Chunk (Heart), 2023; aluminum; 9.7x11.4cm (diametrical measurements)

To Kiss on a Battlefield, Act I, 2023, installation detail, no-flash documentation
My love / Are you listening / You are my community / Do you want / Me to love / to kill me, 2023; cnc-engraved aluminum plate; 110x128cm

To Kiss on a Battlefield, Act I, 2023, installation detail, flash documentation
in this / world can / radical be / soft, 2023; cnc-engraved aluminum plate; 128x128cm

To Kiss on a Battlefield, Act I, 2023, installation detail, no-flash documentation
left hand-side:
Chunk (Child), 2023, polylactic acid print; 22x22x40cm (diametral measurements); designed in collaboration with Herry Kim
right hand-side:
The Sun, 2023, aluminum, low-light led panel, polymer filter, wax, cellulose; 18x8x45cm
Chunks, 2023, microcrystalline wax; 43x28x20cm

To Kiss on a Battlefield, Act I, 2023, installation detail, flash documentation
Chunk (Child), 2023, polylactic acid print; 22x22x40cm (diametral measurements); designed in collaboration with Herry Kim

To Kiss on a Battlefield, Act I, 2023, installation view, flash documentation
covering the floor:
The Spread, 2023; synthesised sweat (full composition reported in to kiss on a battlefiedl / act 1 / texts)

To Kiss on a Battlefield, Act I, 2023, installation detail, no-flash documentation
Untitled (Attempt), 2023, aluminum plate; 128x128cm

To Kiss on a Battlefield, Act I, 2023, installation detail, flash documentation
Where does the difference between rise increase growth and invasion lie / Only where it spread are you able to walk, 2023; cnc-engraved aluminum plate; 76x121cm

To Kiss on a Battlefield, Act I, 2023, installation detail, no-flash documentation
in this / world can / radical be / soft, 2023; cnc-engraved aluminum plate; 128x128cm

To Kiss on a Battlefield, Act I, 2023, installation detail, flash documentation
Untitled (Attempt), 2023, aluminum plate; 128x128cm

To Kiss on a Battlefield, Act I, 2023, installation detail, flash documentation
Untitled (Clearing), 2023, aluminum plaque; 18x24x4cm

To Kiss on a Battlefield, Act I, 2023, opening, flash documentation by Yun Gi Ahn

To Kiss on a Battlefield, Act I, 2023, performance still, with performer Clemente Ciarrocca, flash documentation by Yun Gi Ahn

To Kiss on a Battlefield, Act I, 2023, performance still, with performer Aviana Glover, flash documentation by Yun Gi Ahn

To Kiss on a Battlefield, Act I, 2023, performance still, with performer Clemente Ciarrocca, flash documentation by Yun Gi Ahn

To Kiss on a Battlefield, Act I, 2023, performance still, with performer Aviana Glover, flash documentation by Yun Gi Ahn
middle-right:
Untitled (Breathing), 2023, 62h sound recording, black poplar speaker, cnc-engraved aluminum plate, 27x71x90cm

To Kiss on a Battlefield, Act I, 2023, performance still, with performer Kayla Dobbs, flash documentation by Yun Gi Ahn

To Kiss on a Battlefield, Act I, 2023, performance still, with performer Kayla Dobbs, flash documentation by Yun Gi Ahn

To Kiss on a Battlefield, Act I, 2023, performance still, with performers Clemente Ciarrocca and Aviana Glover, flash documentation by Yun Gi Ahn
To Kiss on a Battlefield, Act I: Teaser (in aftermath), 2023; hd video; 3m22
with Aviana Glover and Kayla Dobbs


scans of in the atmosphere remains (an essay/attempt in 23 points), 2023; inkjet on paper; edition of 100, 63/100
Companion text to To Kiss on a Battlefield, Act 1, offered in editioned copies at the opening of the project on March 23rd, 2023






