finale: trial by toe + abandonment anxiety

It's time to conclude this blog with a final post. There was so much that happened in the final days of my residency at KIAC, that I hardly know where to begin... but I will begin on my birthday, the day I left, New Year's Eve, Dec 31.

I took advantage of the event of my birthday in Dawson City, where you can go to every bar for a free drink. Since there were only two or three bars open in town in December and I didn't have much time left before my flight, I had to choose strategically. I decided to do the toe. It was only appropriate. I'm not going to pay $5 to put a dirty, rotten toe in my mouth, but for free, I will try it just once.

Health regulators say the drink has to be at least 40% alcohol. I had mine in Jameson.

And so I joined the ranks of The Sourtoe Cocktail club, started long ago by, you guessed it: a New Brunswicker. I didn't know that Capt. Dick was a New Brunswick 'river rat' until I read the ballad on the certificate that comes with the completion of the drink. So despite the fact that the sourtoe cocktail is the touristy thing to do in Dawson, I was proud to do it anyway. Besides, I earned my stripes: the toe stuck itself to the bottom of my glass and I had to tap the glass to get it to roll down to touch my lips (a prerequisite for truly achieving the feat), aaaaaand I ended up with the toe actually in my mouth, as it rolled quickly and with some force.

Before I rewarded myself with a blackened toe between my teeth, however, I borrowed Lulu's van and drove around Dawson abandoning my finished works. This was fun. The first work, a skull in a box, was installed in the infamous Pit, atop its piano. I figured this would be a place where it could be seen and appreciated by most of Dawson, and it seemed to fit the rest of the décor quite nicely. This piece, entitled "Cannibals" is connected to the Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in story of Moosehide Slide, as retold in an audio clip on the project website. I'll be uploading pics of the four abandoned objects to the project website in short order. Visit the Pit to see the skull in person.

The resting place for cannibal remains, Westminster Hotel, which contains The Pit.

Another object was abandoned in a cave, a cave where many visitors have gone and many more will venture. I left the object with a famous storyteller who has agreed to be my collaborator in this project, and will personally pass on the info about how to find the story of the object, as well as details of the object itself.

A third object was abandoned somewhere people sometimes go by invite to have a guaranteed good time in Dawson, again guarded by a storyteller who has also agreed to protect and pass on information about the object.

A fourth object was abandoned in a dark place, a public and enclosed space but a space where it may not be found until sometime in the Spring or Summer. That is my hope. I'm sure it will be a shock when it is discovered.

I was satisfied with every final location I chose, knowing the works would be shared and/or protected until found. In the end, I didn't leave them to just deteriorate into the landscape because they were too beautiful and I knew that some animal would likely eat them before any person found them. Also, I needed a vessel to put the project website address onto. So, while they were still abandoned and not meant for a gallery, I did give them a more museological display, going against one of the ideals I typically strive for with my work: ephemerality. But, in the end, I'm OK with that!

Here is the project website, which is still in progress for now, but which contains all of the stories as audio clips for your listening pleasure.

The day I left Dawson was my lucky day - I didn't have to pay for my luggage on the flight out, which is a miracle! Happy Birthday to me. That night, after an awesome birthday dinner in Whitehorse with one of my longest-standing best friends, I went out at midnight to greet the new year and look up into the sky. Just then, a single ribbon of aurora borealis streaked in an arc directly over my head, the only aurora visible in the sky. It rippled for about five minutes and was gone. Thus, I started my new year with a cosmic blessing, which has so far proven to be one of abundance and goodness. I adore the Yukon.

Thanks to all of the special people I had the opportunity to connect with in Dawson City! I guarantee you, I WILL be back.