I AM
Being Human
This is a proposal for full funding for an Art Exhibition that many feel will place New Zealand Art and
the Artist on the International stage.
The Exhibition will focus on the perception of how we see other Human Beings beliefs and how we
accept or try to understand these views. The works will number 11; oil on canvas, each work will be
in the range of 2 metres x 1.8metres as in this mock up of a smaller and earlier work entitled “P”
P oil on board 1.2m x .9 m
In this work the issue is the trade make that P or Methamphetamine leaves on society by either a
user or even a lover of a P user .The 11 works will follow a general path as “P” but on a global scale.
Also in this proposal I will show other works to give you an idea of the work we can do together.
Each work will have two paintings and the two paintings will mirror each other depending on the
subject. So there are five works with the last having three paintings. Each work will begin with the
words “I AM....’ and depending on the subject is the rest of the title i.e. .... “I AM Religious “with the
other “I AM not “as in below.
Religion.
The two paintings for this piece will be Identical Twins one being religious the other twin an Atheist.
What makes two people from the same genetic makeup believe in such a vast and different belief
value? These will be real people, hopefully from the heartland American Bible belt.
Default Oil on canvas 1.5 m x 1.5 m
Racist.
Again two paintings, one “I AM a racist “beside “I AM not” the racist will be an old old black
woman....... the “not’ is a white baby 5-7 months old, again the paintings are incredibly large for
effect. And the people in the works are real and we hope to have them there at the Exibihiton.
Glass eye broken nose Oil on board .8m x.6m
Mental Stability.
Again two works, one “I AM sane “next to: I AM sane”. In research we have done thus far a person
who is mental insane does not realise that they are. One painting will be a clean looking girl the next
painting will be a scruffy type that survives by living on the streets. It is up to the viewer to decide
which is which.
Violence.
“I AM a victim “with “I AM the attacker”. The victim in this case is a black male from the Hooto
Tribe, while the attacker is a black woman from the Tootsi Tribe, role reverse to what most people
see but again these are real people that we will meet and interview and to try to understand why
Genocide took place and how these people have or trying to move on.
I AM.
The last work consists of 3 separate works. Chromosomes, we receive one set from each parent, we
humans have 46 of them 23 yy and 23 xy, yet a Lowland Chimpanzee has 48 and even more a Down
Syndrome Person has 47, one set of their 21st Chromosome doubles giving 47. The three works will
hang in order of their chromosomal order 46 47 48.
The Nail biter Oil on board 1.2m x.9 m
The Work
From the 11 works the show is saying we are all connected in one way or another and it is only thru
Induction or Probability that we differ. Chance and Conditioning are such huge factors which control
us, shape us, I could sit here typing for a week and only scratch the surface of how we are moulded
and shaped, from the beginning by Parents Belief’s, Economics, Biology, Misconceptions, Chance, to
Geography. With these factors and many more it is amazing that anyone is even classed as “Normal’.
“Normal “....... the word should be banned while discussing the Human Race. With Cells in your body
that contain Millions and Millions and Millions of tiny building blocks take to make who you are we
should celebrate human life in all forms. And this is the message “CELEBRATE “the human race in all
its glory and its history. 11 paintings is a start to do just that. To show who we are what we do why
we do these things, a chance to see ourselves and understand or try to...... and see why we act
towards each other in the way we do, but also in a way we can.
Willie Nelson Oil on canvas 1.5m x 1.5m
Overview
Not only is this a Art Exhibition but we also have a Film Director and Production Company which will
film the entire process from sketch to finding these people, to interview, to the start of the work
right thru to the finish, and to the actual Exhibition. We believe this will be one of New Zealand’s
great Art works which the majority of viewers from around the world will understand without an
explanation about the works. Finding a suitable venue for the works to have their opening is a most
important decision, with the subject matter involved I feel there only is one venue that comes to
mind first and that is The United Nations, New York City and why not, we want this show to stand
out and this venue will make that happen. The process for this is time consuming but we feel with a
2 year dead line this is more than enough time. With the advent of Helen Clarke’s appointment to
the number three job at The United Nations, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also on our side to
head the application for the venue. This is a huge task in work and in organisation and we are not
asking for 54 million euro as in the work of a Dutch artist depicting the European community in a
huge brass and mixed media work of late, which not many people can understand. We are asking for
$500,000 US Dollars for the whole production and the works or $350,000 for the works and
Exhibition on their own.
What’s my name Oil on board 1.2m x .9 m
Ownership
With total funding the works then belong to the funder and are to be held in a Trust in which Three
parties agree into, myself, the funder and an impartial third party .If at a later stage the works come
up for sale or a institution wants to buy the work I as the painter will be asking for a 25% share in the
selling price with the bulk 75% going to the funder. But it is early days.
Summary
All parties involved with this project understand it is a mammoth task but in the end it falls on my
head as the Artist , if I had the funds I would have started already and be 6 months into the work,
the quicker funding is made available the quicker the show can be completed. I feel the work can
stand alone without the Film production, no questions asked, but we also want to show others that
won’t see the works in life the story of these people as well, and this is why filming is included. I
thank you for taking the time to read this; I can be contacted at any time to discuss any part of this
proposal my details will be included. This isn’t about fame or money for me, it’s about a human
being taken the time from their life to look and try to connect with other human beings who share
their lives at the same time in history. The work is solid, as I’ve said before....... “Everybody deserves
a portrait’.
Stephen Martyn Welch
Contact details
Stephen Martyn Welch
Email
smw@stephenmartynwelch.com
Phone 021 829 194