Planting Daisies, Chapter II.
Song dives deeper into each of the flowers, by cutting up their original flower hats and transforming them into couture outfits that tell the story of transformation and death they have encountered since Chapter I. He sits with each of the flowers in a private interview, painting their portrait as they reflect on the past year.
This will culminate in another intimate filmed event, in collaboration with Da’shaunae once more.
Flower Arranging with Elders.
We brought about 20 residents together to design floral arrangements. Observing their creativity, joy, and engagement—especially among those with limited family visitation—demonstrated the lasting power of even a single day of meaningful connection. We learned that acts of giving back, even small, have an enduring impact, and that natural materials like flowers are potent tools for joy and emotional engagement.
The Ethosphere, Iteration I.
With 15 graduates and the successful completion of 13 tripartites, the Ethos Project began as a social residency experiment predicated on the belief that we can change society first by changing ourselves.
Individuals of all backgrounds were invited to participate in a pressure cooker space of change, where they were challenged to critically examine their own lives as art 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for 4 months straight.
Each tripartite ended with a culminating exhibition, where each candidate was asked to iterate their personal reflections and experiences. This often transformed physical spaces into immersive, surreal landscapes that embodied the themes of that chapter.
These exhibitions would later inform the consulting and organizing initiatives of The Ethos Project, as the experiment evolved into a non-profit organization empowering underserved communities across Los Angeles.
Planting Daisies, Chapter I.
Song and Da’shaunae curated an intimate filmed event bringing six participants together to sit as “flowers” in a garden and discuss death, legacy, and personal reflection. Handmade floral attire enhanced the immersive nature of the conversation. This experience taught us the power of deep, vulnerable dialogue, even among strangers, and the importance of creating space for often-unspoken topics. We also learned valuable lessons about collaboration in producing filmed events and managing creative teams.
