Visual Artist | Fayetteville, NC
DIM BORISOV
The Cranium Oraculum
Experience
a prison of your mind
Structure:
The Cranium Oraculum is built around a 12 foot geodesic dome frame structure constructed out of wood. The exterior will be built up to add scull features: (eyes for windows, the mouth for an entrance) and sheathed with a tarp painted in brick textures. Atop this structure there will be a chain-linked fence and a spool of razor barb wire as a decorative crown symbolizing the authority of the US Federal Prison Industrial Complex. Inside the chamber it will resemble a modern prison cell with a toilet, sink, bed shelf and table along with a variety of other props. (books, chessboard, etc). The walls will be covered in writing, art and actual letters from my personal experience while serving time. At various moments, I will add a performance element by interacting with festival-goers in an orange jumpsuit as they enter my cell chamber.
Amidst the realm of the underworld,
one stumbles upon the Cranium Oraculum. This structure resembles a dungeon with a razor-wire fence for a crown. The audience is invited to crawl inside to discover a chamber of solitary confinement or zen. Depending on one's perspective it is either a monastery of thought or a prison of the mind.
This art installation is inspired by the artist's personal experience in Federal Prison. The inside walls of this cell will be scribbled in personal writings, letters, philosophies, and realizations that have been collected over the course of 3 years. An audio recording will loop inside the head playing selected ambient sounds and journal entries from the experience of being incarcerated in the US Federal Prison system.
I invite the audience to immerse themselves into a juxtaposing experience of madness and calm, Serenity and solitary confinement, despair and bliss. These and other emotions can be felt within the "Mind" of the Cranium Oraculum art structure.
Video Pitch
A short documentary about Dim's incarceration journey through the eyes of ihavenoidea.tv
created by Alex Oley
The story of Kokopello takes you through a visual psycho-philosophical journey into the strange abyss of the United States Federal Prison System, reinterpreted through a graphic novel format.
Testimonies from Cranium Oraculum visitors
Robin What did you see? At first, a skull. Our friend went venturing and seemed to become sucked in by the experience, so I went in after her to save her. And man was I surprised!!! What did you think? Truly, I was astonished. I was also a bit scared! I thought we had entered another world, another dimension of the mind. What did you feel? I felt instantly smaller than I was yet also larger than I am. How did you connect with the Cranium Oraculum? We stumbled across it on the beach and nobody was around. It was like it has been placed there for us to discover!
Taurus I liked the feeling of the solitude of it and the music inside seemed to set the tone and separate me from the wild event outside
Barbie What did you experience? I first walked into Cranium Oraculum and I saw gray walls, sparse decor, it felt primal and live survival mode, trapped, and scared like i needed to be on edge and couldn't relax. i felt aversion and curiosity as to why someone would create this type of art. What did you think? I watched my thoughts go dark and negative, impulsive and scary, when I first walked in but when I further explored and found the staircase us, i felt curious and hopeful when I climbed up top and saw the sitting area with cushion and beautiful ocean view I felt inspired and hopeful, the horizon was peaceful and freeing. it was such a juxtaposition from the physical prison and thought prison below What did you feel? I felt very inspired by this art piece. very profound with a lot of depth How did you connect with the Cranium Oraculum? I briefly got to meet Dim the artist and he shared with me what this piece meant to him and the meaning behind it. It is clear this artist is not only talented but has also done some major inner work. I got the feeling that Dim had experienced incarceration and I felt compassion and awe. I have never met anyone who has been incarcerated and this was a very humanizing and connecting experience for me. It let me see the humanity of those in prison. It was very inspiring and evoked something within me. I am a practicing buddhist and have reached out to some fellow organizations that visit people within the prison system. I would like to volunteer somehow, maybe sharing dharma or tutoring? I am an educator so maybe i could help that way for those who are incarcerated? I am not sure but this art piece inspired me to volunteer and see that we all are human, no matter where we are- whether in the prison of our mind or physically in prison, we are all here to help each other along the path of enlightenment and peace. I wish I could have asked Dim, what was the catalyst or impetus for him to know that there is a way out of prison to peace and happiness? I think he has a powerful message to share. As Ram Dass said, "we can't ever truly be free until we realize we are in prison"
Annonymous How did you connect with the Cranium Oraculum? I went in and came out free