While creative people have always existed, the Internet has made it easier for the general public to discover and experience these individuals and their work via sites like YouTube, blogs, etc. If you have yet to experience Phil Hansen’s art, it's time. His Influence piece grabbed YouTube attention last year when he honored 30 individuals who have most impacted his life via his chest. This video was not only a beautiful tribute, but also posed an intriguing question: Who has influenced your life?
Influence is an interesting word, because it is not bound by the positive or negative. In fact, Hansen gives Hitler one of the 30 spots which certainly raised a few eyebrows; however, it is obvious (as Hansen alludes) that Hitler has greatly “influenced” our world’s perspective of humanity and its capabilities.
It is undeniable that we are who we are partially (some might say mostly) due to those around us - both on intimate and grand levels. Thus the personal question: Who is in your top 30?
An intriguing question to ponder. Or for a similar spin, would you be on anyone else’s list? (Miranda July entertained this question in the short “Are You the Favorite Person of Anyone?" featured earlier on this site.)
Phil Hansen has a unique capacity for ingenuity - mastering the art of merging the intangible with the everyday. "Influence" and "Bible Interpretation I (Rosa Parks)" are both featured below; however, each of Hansen's pieces could certainly have a spot of its own within this site. Be sure and check out philinthecircle.com for the rest of his collection aslongside the "making ofs."
Influence
Each image is a person and/or an object that represents a particular person that has influenced the artist’s life. For explanations on the various images, visit Hansen's descriptions here.
Bible Interpretation I (Rosa Parks)
Here, Hansen takes photo copies of scripture to create this image of Rosa Parks. (He did the same with the Klu Klux Klan here.)
Other work:
Value of Blood - 500 ml of Hansen’s own blood used to paint portrait of Kim Jon Il As of April 30th 2005 - portrait of George Bush made with the names of fallen soldiers in the Iraq war. 968 Husks - Image in which each pixel is a crumbled piece of paper that has been repeatedly dipped in diluted India ink until the desired color achieved. Theresa - 24 photographs of dandelions organized to reveal an image of Mother Theresa
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