5 Rings, One Doll

五指輪一の人形

Go Yubiwa Ichi No Ningyō

The Kokeshi Project
Nikkei National Museum
Burnaby, BC

Fir wood base, acrylic paint, oil based wood stain,
twine, incorporated objects
8” tall x variable dimensions.
Neal E. Nolan
2013

5 Rings, One Doll both incorporates and conceptualizes the teachings of the legendary samurai, Miyamoto Musashi (The Book of Five Rings.) The piece additionally acknowledges the philosophies of the Shinobi- whom, both coincidently and transcendently (see research disambiguation), shared in these principals and philosophies; incorporating them in martial and everyday practical use. 

According to research, despite popular belief and the depiction of folklore, the ninja weren’t a separate martial force from the Samurai but a subgroup generally made up of foot soldiers (Ashigaru) and samurai retainers- hired by feudal lords and others as spies and mercenaries.

By the way of disambiguation of these two warrior classes, and in illustrating the dichotomy of these two precepts- 5 Rings, One Doll intends to illustrate the falsehood within the hierarchy of class and express human equality both historically and contemporary.

THE TIDE IS HIGH.

2012- September 6th– October 5th

Gallery fukai, Vancouver, BC

Last year a close friend and colleague of mine accidentally sent me an email intended for his partner.

The email was, admittedly, a humorous tirade when viewed from a sardonic perspective -loaded with frustrations cliche to many gender related archetypes. It helped to release my own frustrations to the same stereotypical aspects  I had experienced in previous relationships and relieved some of those frustrations for me vicariously through this email I had received. 

Inlay

I kept the email, inspired by it's humor and ability to relieve my own frustrations I thought I might find the opportunity to use it for something and share this vicarious experience creatively.

Back and Front

The opportunity arose upon hearing from another friend and director/ curator of Gallery Fukai in Vancouver, BC.
Their opening season exhibition booked for Sept 2012 had suffer a last minuet cancellation which prompted the curator to put together a hurried group exhibition. He put a call out to his peers for submissions suiting the titled theme of the show "Excuse Me, How Rude!"- an obvious catharsis as a result of the untimely cancellation of the initially intended exhibit.

As the initial email was accidental, I wanted to get additional perspectives, both male and female, on a wider variety of  relationship entailed situations, and so I put out my own call and received a variety of submissions - after much review, retaining each submissions original grammar, punctuation and syntax- the four shown here (in greeting card format) make up the limited edition series of 10 sets. 

The Tide is High
4.5 x 7" (Folded) 
9 x 7" (Full inlay)
10/10 (sets of four) - Glossy exterior/ mat inlay
Digital print on heavy stock
2012

Installation view w/:
-Christian Nicolay
Blind Faith (Video)

-The Dark
Fuck Me, Fuck You, Oh Fuck!
(Sculpture)

INFRASTRUCTURE

2012- August 18^th –September 4th

PNE Fair Grounds, Vancouver, BC

Funded by: Port Metro Vancouver

Curator: Peter Male, Ronald Lewis Facchinetti  

(4) 7.5’ x 2’ Veneer panel(s)

Mixed media, oil and acrylic paint, translucent paper.

Juxtaposed time-line video component.

Late 1920's – 30's (public domain) archival footage,

modern footage shot on site (2012.)

Running time: 20:00 

Originally installed under a sponsored grant program funded by Port Metro Vancouver and presented by the Pacific National Exhibition, Infrastructure was displayed from August 18^th, 2012 until September 4^th 2012 as part of the Container Art Exhibit in Vancouver, BC in conjunction with the yearly festivities on site at the PNE.

The installation featured a full 30 ft. spread of industrial, landscaped Vancouver port and transportation depictions on wood panel with a full 10’ x 7’ (120” x 84”) video depiction illustrating the history and heritage of the port.

The video (Infrastructure) investigates a dimensional shift by applying non-parametric time theories via archival footage overlaid with present day documentation offering (the viewer) an immediate correlation to the past and present of the port. The video also means to convey cultural identity via nostalgic aspects in the design and technological capabilities, fashion, architecture and general (era related) design parameters evident. 

Video Component:

Sample running time: 2:44
Feature length: 20:00

Installation detail(s):
(Click to enlarge)

MUSSOLINI

(Window Exploit.)
September 2012 

Mixed media, air brush installation (In progress)
Riot - 1395 Commercial Drive 
Vancuver, BC

KEEP CLAM

 (work in progress)

The Keep Calm series invests alterations to 10 additional prints of the Carry On series originally printed as a limited edition of 10 for the Design24 exhibit at Gallery FUKAI.

Also printed on 10ml archival paper, the Keep Calm series broadens the original conceptual theme of Carry On, based around western motivational posters and mantras, extending the motivational cliché from its expansive social statement exploring the platform of personage and the individual ego in context with the prescribed cliché.  
Within the consideration of the presented self identity, the alteration of these prints embraces a conceptual context with the individual in his, her’s or their most honest states of being;  in turn the original numbered series finds an individuality of its own in the making unique of the print/re-printed process of duplication. 

Anonymous Hallway(s)                       
Altered plastisol screen print on archival and
newsprint paper, mixed media.
14" x 20"
Rufus Rukus Gallery
Brooklyn, NY

百物語怪談会
(Hyakumonogatari Kaidankai )
Altered plastisol screen print on archival and
newsprint paper, mixed media.
18" x 24"
San02 Curatorial Project
Matsuyama, Ehime, Japan

"IDF – the best time of my life!"
-Eden Abergil
Altered plastisol screen print on archival and
newsprint paper, mixed media.
18" x 24"
(In Studio)

GENESIS:

N.Nolan and Alison Lilly.
Ayden Gallery.
Oct 2011.




Switchback
Mixed Media assemblage
-Mixed meida, acrylic, graphite, paper, plaster casting, hollow ceramic casting, gun powder, flame, rope, Ox bridal bit, light and shadow
24" x 15"
2011














Architect
Sculptural mixed media assemblage.
-King Jams Bible, Jute twine, match wood, candle, rusted nails crucifix, acrylic paint
10" x 10" x 13"
2011













Thief (Borrowed Time),
Mixed Media assemblage
-Felt, Cougar card stock, divider, playing card, light and shadow
3" x 4" x "6
2010


Endurance
w/ Mike Haller.
Solid ceramic cast, acrylic paint, graphite, light and shadow
8" x 6" x 3.5 lbs.
2010

10 x 10

10 Artists, 10 pannels each- one month of production.

Gallery Atsui is proud to announce our 3rd Annual 10x10 exhibit featuring new works by:

Neal Everett Nolan

Jeff Mair - Erin Boniferro

Helen Eady - Wayne Webb
Karin Vengshoel - IndigoSonja Hebert - Ehren Salazar

Brandy Masch

Having been given only a little over a month to produce ten pieces for this exhibit, I chose to work a theme around religion finding the subject mater very approachable and varied.

Ride the Lightning                       List
8" x 10"                                        8" x 10"
2010                                             2010



Prison Hootch
8" x 10"
2010

Found God.
8" x 10"
2010

Foot Prints
8" x 10"
2010

Impromptu Pending.

-Pacific National Exhibition.
Neal E. Nolan
2010

 










Impromptu Pending::
-Pacific National Exhibition.
Neal E. Nolan
2010

The Impromptu Pending installation was quite difficult to document as a result of the low lit environmental aspects of the install.
A single projector was used to map out and cast four different videos of carefully selected stock footage. Objects were placed strategically at different distances to act as backdrop for the individual videos so each projection was sized to fit according to its corresponding object.

In Prompt To Pending.
Live recorded video loop sample footage.
Running time: 3:47:11
Actual video: 20:00

To view a re- contextualization of part of the installation click HERE.
 Commissioned by Acme Studios.
Vancouver, BC
2010