Harmony in My Head - michele théberge

Harmony in My Head

2008 | watercolor on papers, pins | dimensions variable | Bocana Gallery, San Francisco, CA

This drawings installation consists of several hundreds of small faces, painted on paper. Delicate lines evoke with the most economical of means each face’s individuality. I have purposefully made it impossible to discern age, race, or gender, while each face retains a unique character. The faces express a state of deep peace. As they meander across the wall in undulating rows, they begin to form a magnificent community. A remarkable thing happened during the four days I was installing the piece. All day long, outside the gallery’s large picture window, people strolled by, waving, giving me the thumbs up, or cupping their hands against the glass and peering in on the action. Some would stop to chat or ask me what I was doing. I would pause and go to the door to greet them and share my project or answer their questions. These passersby became an integral part of the piece. It seemed as if my interaction with them brought them tangibly into the piece, less from literally portraying these visitors than through osmosis.