Over the course of eight years, Liz Cohen took two cars, an East German Trabant and a Chevy El Camino, and created something new. As the daughter of immigrant parents she learned that custom cars, like identity, are always "in a state of approach."
As Liz explains in the video, Bodywork is essentially a project about transformation and hybrid identities. She says, 'Cars can have so much to do with people’s identities, and national identity. For example, the Trabant and the El Camino both embody the values of the two countries that they come from. I thought that was a nice foil for what could happen to a person who is going from one country to another, or from one job to another job, or is marginalized in any way from the mainstream.'
Cohen spoke at IdeaFestival 2012 as part of a group of Creative Capital artists that included Sam Van Aken, Hasan Elahi and Tahir Hemphill. We're delighted that Creative Capital will once again bring a diverse group of artists and fresh perspectives to Louisville in 2013.
Cohen's video is part of the "IF Conversations" series. Have a look at the most recent releases, as well as a few of the more popular videos.
And don't miss IdeaFestival 2013!
Wayne