Seth Eisen
Relic of the Deluge, 2020

video, watercolor, collage, digital media
9 minutes

ARTwork statement:

Over the past year I lost three close friends during the COVID pandemic. They were important people in the community and mentors to me. This work was born out of my grieving process-- to honor their lives and acknowledge what remains in me after the loss of these three queer heroes. Examining the story of Noah I began to wonder what happened to the people and the histories of those submerged in the flood, those who didn’t survive, rather than those saved in the ark. First, I wondered if Noah or his wife Naamah had any remorse or compassion for those who were swept away. I began to imagine an intricate underwater refuge of survivors and castaways who built a new culture beyond the deluge, with relics and wisdom of their past. I was inspired by the epic story of Gilgamesh who goes on a quest to find the secret of eternal life after the loss of his most intimate friend. After failing, he seizes the opportunity to appreciate the life he has. Here I invite you to imagine an alternate underwater world created by a unique group of inspired individuals who find ways to save their own history and thrive despite having been left behind. 

ARTIST BIO:

Seth Eisen’s work is a hybrid of visual art and live performance, blurring the edge between art, research, and activism. His transdisciplinary aesthetic combines physical theater, dance, puppetry, drag, circus, installation, and video art. He is the artistic director of Eye Zen Presents and engages LGBTQ+ history as a living, breathing dialogue by researching lost legacies and blurring the edge between art, research, and activism.