The question of whether life imitates art or if art imitates life is ever prevailing. But, when it comes to UNM senior Joel David Waldrep, there's no question that his art imitates his life.
His first solo instillation of photography, video, poetry and music, "Such a Sad Box," is a culmination of Waldrep's memories and life experiences.
"Essentially it's a metaphor for human beings and the fragments of information we collect," Waldrep said. "We can collect or empty ourselves of things - anything to make ourselves feel full and worthy of something."
Paintings of Waldrep's sad box along with his poetry line the walls of the gallery that he painted the appropriate melancholy colors of pastel green, yellow, orange and red. Though these colors might not be considered glum on their own, Waldrep presents them as such.
His photography floats away from the walls, continuously circling the gallery. Waldrep's 40-minute video is projected from behind a panned window frame, adding to the feeling of life, death, love, hate, pain and happiness that fills the small space.
"The video is memories that aren't tainted by daily emotion," Waldrep said. "It acts as an extension that you can't reach, like an emotional space you can't reach."
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Waldrep uses clips of him watching a ladybug ready to take flight, a pigeon eating alone off a sidewalk and a lonely bike ride down an empty street. His animation, skits and segments of a homeless man also are included in the film.
"It's so clear as a metaphor as far as being in a box," Waldrep said.
Waldrep's photos are unusual because he doesn't process his negatives in the traditional way. In the darkroom, Waldrep cuts his negatives, tapes them back together, spits on them, puts dirt on them and then twists and collages them before exposing them on photographic paper. He developed these techniques "to create a metaphor for emotions that we feel on a daily basis working with life."
The photos represent fragmented relationships Waldrep has had with people in his life as he moved around with his family who was in the military. The yellow, orange and red colors in the photos create a warmth that is twisted and spit on - like his negatives - when the viewer's eye fully realizes the shapes and forms in the picture.
Around these shapes of spirals and dust is a black abyss, sending the eye out farther than the edge of the photo.
While experiencing Waldrep's visual art, he will play a recording of his own compositions of fragmented piano sounds.
"These became sketches of sound," he said. "I don't write the scores."
Waldrep's work has been influenced by UNM professors Mary Tsiongas, Martin Facey and Michael Cook.
"I find his work to be very moving in its autobiographical impulse and his ability to explore the history of his own feelings as they relate to a larger world," said Cook, who worked with Waldrep this last summer at the D.H. Lawrence summer art institute.
Beyond Waldrep drawing from his everyday life experiences, the show largely reflects the violent death of his 2-year-old nephew in 1998. Regardless of where Waldrep has gained his influences and motivations, the show will appeal to everyone, as anyone who has ever felt any emotion can draw thousands upon thousands of feelings from his work.
The What, When and Where
What: 'Such a Sad Box'
When: Tomorrow, 7-10 p.m.
Price: Free
Where: The Walls
510 Central SE
Tickets and info: 489-2644
