: : Remedies | Project Proposal : :

2010 Rhizome Commission

Ever regret being born a girl, or worse, being pregnant with one? Do you have that nagging suspicion that junior's a fairy? Some days, don't you just feel too brown to fit in?

For the first time, a new line of miracle Remedies have been developed to address these cultural neuroses. Our products incorporate the latest medical breakthroughs, enhanced by ancient Chinese secrets that comply with the highest standards in numerology, filial piety, and Confucian mythos.

With Rhizome's help, I will be able to open an online apothecary to showcase my wares. The "online shopping" experience becomes a narrative space that examines cultural anomalies in public health. This form of e-literature extends into the gallery space as a display of miracle cures.

The project will unfold in three phases:

Product Development. I plan to continue developing the line of Remedies that has already been started. As a 2009 fellow for the Kundiman Asian American Poetry retreat this July, I will have the opportunity to thoroughly develop the narrative concepts even further. That will serve as the foundation for the design and development of new products. Once produced, the Remedies will be photographed by Steffen Allen.
Online Apothecary. I will then design and develop an “online store” interface for these products. The pages will include “ads” that branch out to other aspects of the narrative. I am exploring the option of hosting it as a small business blog with a CMS service called SquareSpace.com to give viewers the ability to comment on the products.
Installation Display. Finally, the work will also exist as a “store display” in a gallery space, where viewers can see the Remedies in person. This entails installing the appropriate shelving and lighting for the products in the manner of a vintage apothecary.

The feasibility of this project is very high, as the workflow for these products has been established throughout the last year.

Remedies seeks to raise awareness about the identity politics of public health, while also questioning the role of commerce in the narratives that surround our health choices.