“Epiphany”

Work overtakes the body. It overtook Mike’s. In 1998, a year removed from quitting Brooklyn’s Pratt Institute with a 4.0 GPA on the Dean’s List, Mike created “Epiphany”, his first site specific, large-scale art installation. Filling a 450 sq.ft. room wall to wall, floor to ceiling with nothing but National Geographic photos devoid of any text, ripped from a stack of the magazines over 50 feet tall, Mike’s work overwhelmed him. It enveloped every bit of space around anyone who stepped inside of it. Buried in the paper forest collage - with the feel of a walk-through abstract expressionist painting - Mike housed motors salvaged from used household appliances. Wired to the motors was a hand-made keyboard of switches Mike surreptitiously played from an adjoining room. The forest moved and quaked as you walked through. Some were innocent paper animals flittering at your feet. Others were ominously swirling tendrils twirling around your head. Developed as more mobile spin-off’s later in the same year, Mike’s “Vessel” was a kinetic paper costume, articulated by internal arms & armatures he used to busk at outdoor festivals, and “Electric Light Sculpture” and “Electric Animals” were more kinetic works framed by Mike’s mixed media contraptions.