These are my Mentors and Muses my constant inspiration, starting with Dennis Donnelly, the legend, the MVP poet, midtown’s own Irish magic. His expressive literature work—from the poetry he shared to the educational material he provided—is able to not only transport the reader into something of awe but leave the viewer pondering ever more questions. He is followed by Tehching Hsieh, the man, the goat, the mystery, who is a master of time and self-awareness where the seconds and days are his to capture; his most inspiring work for me was his One Year Performance 1978–1979 (Cage Piece), which shows he is a master of time for the mindset he had at that age—just wow.
Then there is Chris Burden, who I can only describe as pure rough, tough American soul and grit, especially when he tied himself to his Volkswagen in Trans-Fixed or had a friend literally shoot him in the arm for his piece Shoot. Francesca Woodman has been the most influential photographer in my life and someone I adore as a genius who pulls you in with a simple photo; you cannot go past her work without feeling that simple, clear, yet blurring and mysterious mix that undermines modern photography.
Next is Marina Abramović, a lady we all know whose name speaks for itself. She is Mother of Performance Art. Olafur Eliasson also deserves his flowers for galleries filled with a subtle sense that breaks reality the more you look to find the truth, and once you find it, he wows you with pieces like Room for one colour, The Weather Project, and Your rainbow panorama. Lastly, there is Banksy, the king of the streets of the world, who inspired me growing up as a teen to speak my mind, Because the streets are your canvas.