May 4, 2016
Artist Pezaloom has immersed himself in 160 kilograms of petroleum jelly to express the symptoms of living with Parkinson's condition.
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| PHOTO: Artist Pezaloom used 160kg of petroleum jelly to express the symptoms of living with Parkinson's condition. (Supplied: Kim Anderson) |
The artist has covered his naked body in 160kg of petroleum jelly to convey the feeling of being "stuck" in Parkinson's, in relation to the lack of movement he experiences.
When asked by a doctor to describe the symptoms, Pezaloom said it was like "walking through porridge".
At the heart of the neurological condition is the reduction of dopamine produced by the brain, which affects movement.
Hence the title of the exhibition takes it cues from both dopamine and hypokinesia, which refers to the reduced body movements caused by Parkinson's.
"If I don't take my medications, I can barely move, I can't initiate my own movements," Pezaloom said.
He said the side effects of the drugs can produce dyskinesia, uncontrolled movements which he refers to as a "dance".
| "It's when you see people with Parkinson's waving their arms about," he said. |
He said his biggest symptoms are both lack of movement and uncontrolled movement.
Anonymous stillness
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Beneath the petroleum jelly there is an anonymous stillness.
Pezaloom creates an almost faceless-like sculpture, managing to obscure his identity by the thick coatings.
"My face isn't necessarily important in the work … it's not about necessarily one person but it's about many people that suffer these same things," he said.
Approximately 70,000 Australians live with Parkinson's with the average age of diagnosis 65 years old.
However, 45-year-old Pezaloom was diagnosed with early onset Parkinson's about 10 years ago and shortly after embraced photography and sound art.
Having grown up in a creative environment, with a mother who painted and an uncle who was a sculptor, Pezaloom said he developed a visual mind from an early age.
"In find it easier communicating in visuals rather than actual words," he said.
Given his voice is also affected by Parkinson's he sometimes struggles with verbal communication.
"It's not always easy to get the words out when I want to, at the speed I would like," Pezaloom said.
Conceptually rich
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| PHOTO: Artist Pezaloom is photographed at the Yallourn Power Station in the Latrobe Valley in eastern Victoria, where he has spent most of his life. (Supplied: Kim Anderson)
Fiona Cook, from Arts Access Victoria, an organisation that works with people with disabilities, said Pezaloom's work was about time and place.
She described his work as "conceptually rich".
"There are so many layers and depths to Pezaloom's work," she said.
Strongly connected to the work is the region where the artist has spent most of his life, the Latrobe Valley in eastern Victoria, an area synonymous with coal-fueled power stations.
The photos were taken in the deserted Yallourn Power Station — one of four major power stations in the region.
"Not far from the actual lovely big black open-pit mine we have here," Pezaloom said.
Learning patience
Despite struggling with Parkinson's, Pezaloom said his art had developed since his diagnosis and especially in the last few years since his work with Arts Access Victoria.
Pezaloom's creative vision was assisted by other artists from the organisation.
The artist collaborated with support-artist/curator Kim Anderson who also worked as the camera operator alongside artist Rhina Hinkley.
Pezaloom said Ms Anderson was "very detail-orientated and organised" whereas he referred to himself as very disorganised.
"My ideas are a bit looser than Kim's, but we just seem to meld together well and it produces work," he said.
Since developing the condition Pezaloom has learnt patience, having never been patient before.
"Everything takes longer, getting up off a chair takes longer, scratching your head takes longer, everything takes longer, you have to be patient or you go crazy basically," Pezaloom said.
The exhibition Dopa-kinesia by Pezaloom opens on Wednesday, May 4 at The Phyllis Palmer Gallery at La Trobe University Bendigo.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-04/parkinsons-teaches-morwell-artist-patience/7380874
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