DOEprojekts worked with an invasive Hudson River species called the Eurasian Water Chestnut, creating a mantle that resembles a life jacket.
“Wetware/Wetware” incorporated over 2000 individual Eurasian Water Chestnuts that the artists collected from the Hudson River bank, then polished, drilled, and intricately assembled.
The title of the work “Wetware/Wetware” reflects DOEprojekt’s ongoing interest and research related to cultural Coreforms and Keywords.
“WetWARE” is a media term used to describe the elements equivalent to hardware and software found in a person, namely the central nervous system and the human mind.
“WetWEAR” describes wearable items, such as life preservers and life jackets that are worn in or near bodies of water.
DOEprojekts (Deborah Adams Doering + Glenn N. Doering) first performed their participatory art action “Wetware/Wetwear” during the Sept 13, 2014 event “Reflecting on OLANA,” curated by Purcell Palmer and Fawn Potash.
Over a dozen participants donned “Wetware/Wetwear” during DOEprojekts’ residency, and became part of the landscape in Catskill, NY — in both body and mind.