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Artist Danica Phelps stands amid panels of her work in Manhattan's Lower East Side.
When the end of a longtime relationship cost artist Danica Phelps her home, she used her creative energies to chart the troubled period in her life. The result: A work of art that incorporates an eight-page court ruling that she says pushed her down the path toward foreclosure.
Titled "The Cost of Love," the 25-panel piece weaves 350,000 tiny red-hued stripes -- in shades of cherry, burgundy, peach and pink – together with words from the ruling, including "animosity," "eviction," "mortgage," "girlfriends," "child," "donor" and "insemination."
"This is the whole decision represented in these panels," Phelps, 40, said recently at Brennan & Griffin, the art gallery that represents her and is showing her work in Manhattan's Lower East Side neighborhood through Sunday. "I didn't want my emotion to be represented. What I wanted was to put out this word for word and to allow the viewer to have their own emotional reaction to it."
Phelps, who has used similar striping in previous pieces, said the genesis of her latest creation occurred in 2009, when her relationship with an ex-girlfriend unraveled and she decided to move out of the four-unit apartment building she owned in New York.
After moving in with relatives and unsuccessfully attempting to persuade her ex to move out of the apartment they had shared for three years, Phelps initiated eviction proceedings.
Once a family
But on June 2, 2010, Housing Court Judge Laurie L. Lau dismissed the case. Because Phelps and her ex-girlfriend had been a “familial unit” when they moved in together and jointly parented a now 3-year-old-boy named Orion born to Phelps through artificial insemination, Lau wrote, the latter was not subject to eviction under New York City law.
"While their relationship has obviously deteriorated into one of animosity and hostility, the evidence establishes the parties had intended to form a lasting familial unit,” the judge said. “It has been held that 'lifetime partners whose relationship is long term and characterized by an emotional and financial commitment and interdependence,' ... satisfy the definition of 'family' for purposes of the Rent Stabilization Code."
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Phelps then decided to stop paying the mortgage on the apartment building, which is now in the midst of foreclosure. A real estate agent is trying to help her arrange a short sale (an agreement between a lender, a buyer and a seller in which the lender agree to accept less than the total loan) to avoid that.
She calculates her financial loss at $350,000, hence the number of red stripes in her artwork.
John Makely / msnbc.com
Close-up shows detail of one panel of Danica Phelps' work, 'The Cost of Love.'
"I know that this show sounds like it’s about the cost of having been in that relationship, but what the meaning is to me actually is the cost of maintaining Orion's happiness and his future," she said of her son. "If I have to lose the house ... I feel like it's actually a small price to pay."
$26 a letter
To make the panels – each of which represents one paragraph of the court decision -- Phelps first counted the numbers of the letters in the text – approximately 13,000 -- and divided 350,000 by that number. That worked out to $26 a letter.
She then took large pieces of paper and drew lines according to the value of each word.
For example, a 13-letter word would be worth $338, and thus would be followed by 338 stripes. She glued words from the judge’s ruling on large pieces of paper and painted the lines around them, using a mix of watercolor and gouache – a form of watercolor with more pigmentation.
The foreclosure crisis, Beverly Hills-style
She then cut the paper into rows and glued them onto birch plywood. At the bottom of each panel is the "cost" represented and the paragraph it represents from the ruling.
Phelps, who had other artists help her with some of her earlier stripe art, said she wanted to do this one herself, even though it took her five months to finish it.
“I felt like each stripe should be painted by me,” she said with a sigh. “It's like letting go of the house, every single penny of it. And once I’ve painted it, it's gone."
She said she found the process peaceful and healing, though some viewers don’t get that sense when they view it.
"People have said, 'Oh it's so dark … all that red is so angry,'” she said. “I look in here and it's glowing to me. … I feel like I accomplished what I set out to, which is to turn something that was depressing to me into something very beautiful."
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Leave a Comment:
Interesting concept! :-)
Avant garde BS. Not impressed, not moved, and disturbed by this woman on several levels. I could care less if she has to build a small lean-to to live under with those birch panels.
Seems to me she was more interested in turning a newborn child and his mother out onto the streets. Mind you, readers - this woman moved out of a FOUR UNIT APARTMENT building. Three other units, three other families, dragged into this drama?
Hey Avant Garde Artiste! Heres a brainstorm of an idea - keep on collecting the rent from the other three units, and nut up and take care of your "contractual son"!
Ugh.
@StrengthInNumbers:
You wrote this:
The fact of the matter is that Orion is the Phelps' son, so the girlfriend is the one in the apartment, while Orion and his biological mother (Phelps) are the ones living with relatives, really . . .
[SOURCE: http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/17/10409224-shrugging-off-legal-setback-artist-danica-phelps-turns-court-ruling-into-new-work ]
Really! :-o
Lots of families go through this regardless of the sex or sexual orientation of the breadwinner or that of the self entitled squatter. The laws created are there to protect both. Defaulting on the house to evict part of your previous spouse/partner is shrewd, and maybe even cold, but also the path many feel forced to take. That being said, I wouldn't feel too sorry for Phelps; she can just glue some more words and ribbon together and buy another one. Not many people are lucky enough to make their money doing what they love. Count your blessings, one and all.
Wow. Looks like a lot of effort and a massive amount of time. I wish I had that kind of time to spend on my passion. Unfortunately, I have to WORK to keep a roof over my kids' heads. Must be nice to be 40 and sponging off mom and dad while you practice your art.
Yeah.... I'm not really impressed or moved either. Maybe she is working full time and the article forgot to mention that. If that's the case, then I'm impressed!
Harold, as Danica's father, I can assure you she is not sponging off her parents. I am totally proud of her, and of the way she conducts herself.
Maybe if, instead of creating a "25-panel piece weaves 350,000 tiny red-hued stripes", she invested that much energy in working to save her home, then she wouldn't have lost it. It's a neat piece of art, and I admire the conviction of taking 5 months to create the thing, but I certainly don't feel sorry she lost her house when it clearly was not as important to her as her art project.
Read the article again. She stopped paying the mortgage on purpose, because she was forced by the court to keep her ex-girlfriend in the house. What are the options here? You either keep paying and support a parasite, or you stop paying and let the house go into foreclosure, which rids you of the parasite but also loses you your house. Pick your poison. Faced with the options I think she did creatively well.
The article said"Phelps then decided to stop paying the mortgage on the apartment building"... It was her decision to let it go, even though her wife and child lived in the apartment. She was expected to "man up" and support her spouse...
Not surprising some people can't read the article...not with their heads stuck up their butts that far...
So Adam, how's the fit, is your head nice and warm?
On the upside, this is a token of the equality "gays" have fought so hard to obtain so she shouldn't complain too much. Hetero men have had to put up with this BS since... well, way before I was born anyway. Welcome to the club, sister!
Be careful what you wish/pray/demonstrate/riot/sue/take to the supreme court for.
The kid is with Phelps, who gave birth to him. SHE is supporting him. This isn't what "hetero men have had to put up with..." This is like the wife supporting the non-custodial husband, which isn't seen often other than maybe Hollywood. Strange how this works out with one court legitimizing the lesbian relationship and making the custodial parent the "bad one", when normally in court it's as it the gay/lesbian "family" never existed.
Still, it was stupid to let the property go into foreclosure. THAT sounds like something a man would do.
Yes, Granny, it's what hetero men have had to put up with. In some states it's called "alimony" and in others it's called "order of maintenance." I know people that have gone through this and similar situations, which is where you get the good ol' boy saying, "it's cheaper to keep 'er."
Sometimes, it seems that the family court system is stacked against the man. FOR EXAMPLE, the mommy is thought to be the natural one to take custody of children and men usually have to fight tooth and nail for their kids. You know, the old "the kids need to be with their mommy" routine. In this case it's a same-sex relationship so there was no gender bias to apply. Perhaps the judge based his decision on something fair this time, like their individual financial situations?
Unless the judge decided Phelps was the equivalent of "the man" in the relationship... but then she carried and gave birth to the child so that can't be it. Ahh, the confusion that comes with these same-sex thingies. No more good old days where you could just blame it all on the man and be happy, fat, and politically correct.
"THAT sounds like something a man would do." So since now it has been done by a "gay" female does that mean it might transcend gender and sexual orientation and be a natural reaction to an unfair decision? Do you think you should re-assess your propensity towards making gender-biased statements and start affording the same respect towards men that you demand for yourself and your "gay" sisters?
CC GWRider, women have had to put up with men abandoning them and their children after they've had their fun for centuries. In many cases the women never get a dime from the pieces of crap and end up supporting and raising the children on their own. The difference being, except in cases where men are bitching about how the courts make them do what is right and support their children, the women don't whine and complain about what men have and will continue to do to them. The only thing they can do is to never allow another one of the losers near them again. If a few men get wrung out by the courts now after centuries of running out on their responsibilities... too bad.
I bet the court ruling was that it was a domestic dispute, and so it should have gone a different route through the court system, and she chose not to do it the correct way. She fought a "housing" fight, when she should have fought a "domestic" fight. Tough on her. When a person goes to court, make sure you are picking the proper fight, otherwise, the judge will toss it out. If she filed without a lawyer, she was stupid, if she filed with a lawyer, he was stupid.
FWalsh
"The difference being, except in cases where men are bitching about how the courts make them do what is right and support their children, the women don't whine and complain about what men have and will continue to do to them. The only thing they can do is to never allow another one of the losers near them again"
That is your own bias talking. Real-world proves different and you know it. I could give you names of women who fit your "loser" description, and you know that's true too.
"If a few men get wrung out by the courts now after centuries of running out on their responsibilities... too bad." Do you say similarly broad and stereotyping things about black people, Hispanics, Palestinians, women, or any of the other protected minorities? If not then you're a hypocrite. If you do, then at least you're consistent.
Welcome to the world, Walsh, you fought for the equality now you've got it. You're obviously going to have a hard time adjusting.
I think it was her actions that lead to the forclosure not the judges.
Yes, because we all have an ex we'd LOVE to support and keep in our house so we can remain in a toxic relationship. Even better when a child is involved and will be damaged for life.
Hey, Gays want all the benefits of marriage, well that comes with the barnacles as well. Tough stuff if she doesn't like it any more than heterogenous couples like it dealing with an ex. I thought Gays were suppposed to be so much more cultured and civilized than the rest of us that these sorts of problems were dealt with in a more mature and logical manner? Guess not!
They were never married. Read the article again.
Oh, and someones sexuality does not make them any more "cultured and civilized" than anyone else, but I'm hoping you already knew that and were just displaying some strange sort of sarcasm.
I think Miranda Leitsinger needs to come back to her article and "sequel" it with a missing "flowing" premise and matching conveyance thereof; or properly capture and put into context what the Artist is trying to say, before, and instead of, putting a beautiful expressive piece of ART and the Creator out there to be a battering ram.
You don't get to hand out the barnacles of marriage without the benefits and call it "equality".
Phelps had the baby
I think this article was poorly written & people have the players confused...
I was confused until I went back & read it again...this article leaves the impression the child was left in the apartment with the woman...when most likely, Phelps took the kid to her parents place when she left
so the judge left these 2 fighting for eternity...to make a legal point & get written up in the law books?
judges have other options where kids are concerned...this judge gets an F on protecting that kid....
so now we can watch the kid grow & see if he stabs someone later on
When life hands you lemons...
Throw a fit, quit paying the mortgage, throw a bunch of tenents out into the streets, and make a picture from it.
Say screw the lemons and bail..
I was dissappointed when I read the story. I thought Danicka Patrick had married Michael Phelps. They would have had children who could drive 200 m.p.h., and then jump in the ocean and swim away. The ultimate SEALS !
squirt them into Life's eyes!
I don't get it. She stopped paying the mortage because her and her gay lover are having relationship issues. Now she is upset that she is loosing the house? And this is for her and her lesibian lover's "son?" Maybe if I were a fag I would understand. Being straight, I would be forced to pay child support that would cover the cost of housing. And these kind of people want to marry!
That's the whole rub. Had they been "married" the sundering of the relationship would have required a legal proceeding dividing the property and assigning custody/support payments for the minor child. That is why civil authorities need to stop issuing "marriage licenses" and start issuing "domestic partnerships" that carry the same weight of law. If religious groups wish to issue "certificates of marriage" to people, fine. Get the government out of the marriage business and protect the rights of citizens equally. This is not about "gay" or "straight" or "persons of faith" or "athiests". It is about households and rights and responsibilities.
How is this person not banned? I've never seen a constructive non-hateful post from this writer.
You wouldn't be forced to pay child support if you were the custodial parent. You also would not be required to provide (temporary) spousal support in most states, unless you make a lot of money. Men walk out all the time leaving a non-working or low earning wife to take care of several kids on her own. Occasionally the woman walks away and vice versa. Neither applies to this case because the perceived moocher isn't taking care of the kid.
You're a retard.
Well after all, Gays and Lesbians have protested for years to be treated like "normal". Welcome to normal!
Except that they aren't allowed to get married, but when they want to break up they have to go through a sort of divorce, like a married couple would. I do expect that a hetro couple in the same situation would have to go through the same thing too, but at least they would have had the option to get married in the first place.
They had none of the "normal" protections or benefits of the married state.
This is stupid. What kind of news is this.
Yet you read the article and took additional time to share your thoughts.
Amazingly, sites like MSNBC publish news articles as well as articles on entertainment, sports, life, etc. Just like a newspaper. How about that!
Maybe I missed it but it didn't sound like she was whining about it just made a cool art project. As others said what occured to her is 100% normal in any hetro relationship so welcome to the club! Lucky besides the house and child support she's not paying alimony.
The point was the story behind her art. It's not about her situation being abnormal, and no where in the article does it say that. If a straight guy had done the same exact thing, it wouldn't have made this story any different. The focus is supposed to be her art, not her sexuality, but unfortunately it seems that that's the only thing people can comment about.
that's what I said.
If the artist has the child, and the ex-girlfriend is living alone, rent-free in the apartment, I think it's reasonable to expect the ex-girlfriend to move out.
If the situation were reversed, where the ex-girlfriend had the child in the apartment, I would understand the judge's decision.
My boyfriend and I lived in my house with our then 12 year old daughter (and had been living together since her birth) and when we broke up, he moved out. It was my house and he didn't even think of staying or trying to get me to let him live there while I moved out. It never occurred to either of us that it should be any other way.
Dear Danica,
I am sorry you lost your home. If "The Cost of Love" is typical of works being offered by Brennan & Griffin they too may be heading toward foreclosure...
biggest waste of 5 minutes of my time
But you took a few minutes of your valuable time to post your reply.
so what, Kris? Because Pine felt like wasting an additional minute posting that doesn't mean his/her statement was false. Regardless of whether he/she posted, doesn't mean reading it wasn't a waste of time. In fact, maybe posting lets this person justify to themself how much time they wasted.
Matt - How many more people need to post that reading this article was a waste of time? It was already said several times by different people. What's the point? You don't find this ironic?
One does not have to agree or disagree with what went on to appreciate these pieces of art.
Well done - I love art that tells a story!!!!
I'm reminded of when "artists" first began throwing wadded-up tee-shirts and the like dipped in paint at a large board, calling it art, and collecting from people with the brain of a grape who were later also willing to pay for a pet rock. As long as you can somehow get people to pay for something, it becomes whatever you choose to call it.
We have a government put together like that, too, you know.
I'm reminded of when "artists" first began throwing wadded-up tee-shirts and the like dipped in paint at a large board, calling it art, and collecting from people with the brain of a grape who were later also willing to pay for a pet rock. As long as you can somehow get people to pay for something, it becomes whatever you choose to call it.
We have a government put together like that, too, you know.
Well, if you were one of the people suffering from "grape brain" who bought that stuff, then it was your fault. But, maybe they actually liked the pieces and enjoyed the visual candy.
The beauty of art, like music and everything else, is in the eye of the beholder. I admire Ms. Phelps' painting and the colors are lovely. The words are representative of her failed relationship and she achieved her artistic goal. You don't have to buy the thing, no one is twisting your arm. Just enjoy it for what it is.
Also, I knew somehow that politics/government would be brought on the discussion board. Always happens, always will, no matter the subject. Cute puppy being rescued? - it's the government's fault for not stepping in earlier or it's the government's fault for stepping in at all. Taxpayer money going for a good cause or money being wasted. Same story. Get a new one...please.
What a waste of time....both for her, and for me reading this article.
man up,go to the house,ring the doorbell,and when your ex answers,kick her right in the baby maker !
I think she handled it in a great way and now she's made national news right before an art show. Cha-CHING!!!!
So the house gets foreclosed, ex is gone=WIN
You have a great show and make tons of money off the ex who is now gone=WIN
She is not the brightest red crayon in the box. Why did she move out of "her" house? We all have to suck it up at the end of a committed relationship, when children are involved. They are the ones that will be scarred for the rest of their developing years, and then some. There comes a time "as a parent" it is not about you, it's about the child. She should have moved into one of the other 3 units and learned to get over it, for the child. Purposely not paying the mortgage is cowardly, when there is a child to look after. Regardless,if you are homosexual or heterosexual
Seriously? It is EXTREMELY uncommon for both parents to stay on the same property when ending a relationship.
Yep, that makes a lot of sense, stay on the same property with your hated ex, that ALWAYS ends well doesnt it.
So Orion's happiness is best accomplished by leaving him homeless and having a vindictive bitter split between his parents...
;-(
This is shuch a F*ed up world.
If you read this correctly, Orion is biologically Phelps son. The girlfriend just helped raising him. I'm assuming, with child laws, Phelps took Orion with her when she moved out. It was simply a matter of the ex-girlfriend not leaving the apartment that Phelps was still paying for.
Um...Didnt the article say that Orion was born to her, so isnt she the one with custody?
She sounds a tad anal retentive doesn't she? Most concept art has always left me feeling......well confused? If it has to be explained, then is it art?
I disagree... I love it. I find it moving and I don't think it needs any explanation. She said it was cathartic but I would have left the exibition space feeling profound sadness... but that is art, isn't it? i don't need any baby back story to appreciate the 5 months that went into the piece. As for her personal story, I am sure it is more complicated than a 6 paragraph rendition of her having to leave her family (probably in the best interest of her growing son). Job well done.
stupid is as stupid does
the article seems incomplete: by reading it, you would assume the artist left her child and her ex then tried to evict them and when the judge said she couldnt evict the ex, she selfishly let the building go into forclosure. She was treated like most men in america when they walk out on their families. If there is a flip side, msnbc should report it. Who has custody of the kid and does the ex get to see him? ALso, how did she afford to make this art project? she should have paid her rent/mortage- to me, as 'creative' as it sounds, she the artist is kind of dumb and immature. if she felt ok blowing 350K, then complaining shes homeless, she is dumb.
she didn't leave her child. she took him and moved in with family. you obviously don't paint. it doesn't cost much to paint. it takes more time than money to do what she did. it wouldn't have cost anywhere close to a mortgage payment for the whold project.
You have problems with comprehension, she refused to supply her vindictive ex with free housing, I would have done the same thing and to hell what the creditors think.
Have many of you even read the same article I read???
It doesn't say anywhere that Phelps owns the whole building. Just the one apartment; there is no collecting rent from the other tenants. She and her son are not homeless. Family is helping them to get back on track.
I certainly don't think that she should stay in a relationship that isn't working. How is that healthier for her son? Phelps is now at a point where her art helped to put that time in her life in perspective and not be overcome with negative emotions that she could push off onto her son. All "vindictive and bitter" emotions were put into the art so she could let them go and give her son the positive emotions he needs to be a healthy person. Kudos to her for finding a way to heal herself and start getting back on her feet for her son's sake!
You may not like the story, or the art, but if you think of art as a snapshot of history, it perfectly represents the times in which we live. Angst about gay rights, nuclear and non-traditional families, love lost, the justice system and bank foreclosures. Plus it looks good on beige walls. Long term, I think it's a winner.