A Meditation on the Transience of All Things
“A Meditation on the Transience of All Things” was a project created at Project 387 artist residency, Gualala, CA, in 2013. I drew six chalk pastel portraits on tree stumps along a trail through the forest. Walking the mile-long loop, participants are invited into a contemplative relationship with the ephemeral.
"Biçen constructs her realist studies by focusing on a path to empathy and a personal connection to her subjects. While at Project 387, Biçen has worked to embrace transience in both life and artistic practice. After interviewing six individuals most connected with Project 387’s landscape, Biçen found sites in the woods and created studies in pastels on natural, immovable material. These portraits will remain untreated and vulnerable to the elements—allowing for a delicate process of decay and eventual absorption into the earth. The placement of these works, on the far reaches of the landscape, create an intentional path for meditation. Setting out to see this series requires a conscious choice—a planned pilgrimage. As one travels through the winding trails, one discovers orange markers pointing to each piece—a multifaceted reference to Tibetan monks' robes, forestry logging, and Project 387 itself."
Allyson Feeney - Founding Director, Project 387 Residency
