Arrhythmia

60” wide x 84” long x 36" high

Mixed Media

2023

The idea for Arrhythmia materialized right after my brother’s recent heart surgery. My brother was very fortunate to receive a relatively rare porcine aortic valve and eventually enjoyed a full recovery. When I shared the news with my then ten year old son, his reaction was surprising and thought-provoking. My son was thrilled that his uncle was going to get better but also worried about the pig that made it possible. “Did the pig die?” He asked. I carefully explained that the pig’s life had been dedicated to saving another. This sparked a short but meaningful conversation about speciesism and became the inspiration for this piece.

To honor my brother and his donor, I created a two heart shaped puzzles which activate a drum mechanism once they are completed. There are two drums, but only enough puzzle pieces to create one heart. This means only one heart/drum can beat at a time, forcing us to make the bittersweet choice of which rhythm will play.