Nick Ceglia
LOVELY LUNACY is an interactive work. A set of 6-8 words will be displayed on a wall, accompanied by two rubber stamps on a shelf: LOVELY and LUNACY. Participants are tasked with deciding how they would categorize each word/trend/belief/etc. Some words are straightforward while others carry multiple meanings to provoke thought—ie, “Father” might evoke religion for some, family for others, and maybe even Star Wars for some people. As the piece evolves over time, it becomes a study in collective behavior, mirroring the theme of the exhibition. Do participants follow the crowd and conform to the norm/drink the Kool-Aid? Or do they assert their own perspectives and interpretations by breaking away from the crowd? At the conclusion of the show, the stamped pages will be cut to size and compiled into a book, preserving the collective opinions of the show. This final piece captures the overload of opinions, choices, and reflections embedded in the words—a snapshot of collective thought, individuality, and everything in-between.