Robert Boyd, deathstardestroyer, 1999. Digital C-print, 30x40in.
Robert Boyd, Deathstars, 1999. Sculpture installation with sound. Installation view Islip Art Museum, Islip, NY, Sept. 1999.
Robert Boyd, breather, 1999. Audio CD, 73min/loop.
Robert Boyd, deathstardestroyer, 1999. Digital C-print, 30x40in.
DEATHSTARS
The installation, Deathstars, combines ideas of secret societies with the sci-fi heraldry of “Star Wars”. Afloat like bombs in an underwater minefield, the micro-planets that make up the installation are reliefed, terrestrial spheres. Overrun by armies of brotherhood figurines, they suggest symbols of domination. By conflating associations that various brotherhoods evoke, Deathstars conveys a constellation of fraternal dominance ready to explode at the slightest provocation.
The installation consists of “Deathstars” of various sizes, ranging from 11 to 26 inches in diameter. Constructed from found globes, the interiors of the objects contain internal lead weights so that when displayed they will be buoyed off-axis. The objects are suspended from the ceiling at various heights. The viewer must navigate through this series of ‘mines’ to proceed through the installation. The walls of the exhibition space are painted black to give the installation an otherworldly effect. A sinister but meditative audio piece of Darth Vader breathing, breather, plays softly in the background.