b. 1980, Danville, Indiana. Lives and works in San Francisco, California.

Patrick Gillespie’s performance during the April 26th art parade connects with his ongoing series of costumes and projects on the topic of physical and neurological prosthesis. For this performance, the artist wore a shearling, sheepskin suit of his own creation. The full-body coverage of the suit limits his sight and ability to speak, enforcing the use of other senses and means for interpreting and navigating the world.

In his own words, “I develop prosthetics and ‘second skins’ to augment the translation of the senses to my body…. Strangers and objects that populate the space around me suddenly have a level of agency that greatly affects my ability to navigate public space.” The artist has described his practice as one that is interested in experimentation and potential over a pre-determined set of outcomes.

Image Credit:
Prosthetic for Public Space, 2008