Het Plafond; ruimte voor kunsten en cultuur in het woonhuis van WIllem Besselink en Guus Vreeburg
                                                                                               Gedempte Zalmhaven 761, 3011 BT Rotterdam / NL

Jessica Worden
' "Merry Christmas, Willem and Guus!" ' 
16 - 31 december 2006

Jessica Worden. uitnodiging ' "Merry Christmas [...]" '
voor Het Plafond, Rotterdam; november 2006
© Jessica Worden, Rotterdam; 2006

Project proposal, by Jessica Worden
The Christmas tree is the culmination of middle-class non-aesthetics. One uses this occasion to demonstrate a lack of personal taste (for example, by copying their tree decoration from a photo in Martha Stewart Living), or one’s personal esthetics in overabundance. Decorating the Christmas tree is a group activity, a group endeavor where it is not uncommon to find a, for example, PTA mom on speed in a central position of control. Tree decorating ranges from pre-planned public displays to an intimate family activity where the stress-levels also tend to vary.

In the past years buying a Christmas tree has always involved creative problem-solving. Getting our tree home is usually a problem dealt with after it has been created [by the purchase of said tree]. Over the years we've come to welcome this situation and see it as an essential element to the entire event, as is the decision which decorations to get. Other years, we've been given a tree by family or friends. This is also a welcome contribution to the annual tradition.

I would like to invite a group of friends to come decorate a Christmas tree. After talking about this idea with several people I began to rethink my approach as well as the constraints of the space, the relation of my work to Het Plafond.

How can I take this image of the typical Christmas tree and further alienate it? Next to the fact that the tree is placed in a theoretically ‘formal’ non-living space (which is questionable), what else is there that separates it from reality? Or from a failed attempt at a fun Christmas party? Something needs to be done to the tree to help elevate the work out of the everyday reality, to attract the attention of passerby – to make it attractive as well as understandable.  I plan to “highlight” the tree with a spot light, to mimic how churches and statues tend to be lit in the evenings.  The shadow will skew instead of reflect the shape of the tree.

Is it not interesting to ‘negate’ the tree? There are several ways that this can be done, some more violent than others. (i.e. an upside-down tree) I then thought about the appearance of greatness and the necessity of having a large tree.

Participants (guests) of the event I envision will be invited to decorate the tree and will be randomly corrected on their actions and their choices without prior instruction. How will people react to this situation?

I would like to wear an outfit that resembles that of an angel and also during the course of the event, position myself on the ledge towards the back of the space and attempt to direct from that position.  Visually, I hope to create the illusion that I (the angel) stand on top of the tree.

As part of the event, seasonal refreshments will be provided, i.e. Christmas cookies and hot apple cider. Benches will provide space to sit and enjoy the decorations and the company of each other.

© Jessica Worden, Rotterdam; 061216

Informatie
Willem Besselink: +31 6 19 4343 41
Guus Vreeburg:     +31 6 4720 4750

Grandma Moses (Anna Mary Robertson; 1860-1991)
'Waiting for Santa Claus', 1960
olieverf op spaanplaat, 12 x 16 inches