Throughout 2017, Phil Hansen worked on his “When I was 7” project, which resulted in a massive drawing of Bana Alabed, a seven-year-old girl living in Syria during the war, made entirely out of pen and ink. Hansen asked the public to submit their own stories from when they were seven years old. The end product resulted in a drawing composed of 600 stories.
Following his well-known collaborative style, Hansen’s next project seeks to document another significant moment in the lives of others. This time, he is asking his audience to tell him about a death they remember.
Hansen’s inspiration behind his latest piece, he said, is his desire to gain new insight on a topic he hopes to learn more about.
“The inspiration or purpose for this project is simple – I have a deep curiosity and desire to journey into a topic I know little about and hopefully discover something along the way,” Hansen said.
Hansen is known for his collaborative projects not only in the studio when he is working on his newest art project, but also on the stage when he is presenting in front of hundreds (or even thousands) of people.
Inviting the audience to collaborate on different art pieces with him is one way Hansen is able to understand concepts he may not be very familiar with.
“One of the reasons I frequently invite the audience to contribute to my art, often times by providing a memory or reflection on a certain subject, is that I find hearing other people’s experiences helps me comprehend complicated concepts,” Hansen said. “This request for collaboration allows me to break down whole ideas and, in turn, gets me closer to understanding issues that are difficult to grasp.”
For many, death can be a sensitive and unfamiliar topic. Through this project, Hansen hopes to create a dialogue about something that may be difficult to talk about in an effort to produce a positive change.
“Something I’ve always been keenly aware of is how difficult it can be to talk about the death of someone who impacted our lives,” Hansen said. “A lot of us experience that grief but don’t have many outlets to share it. I believe that sharing our stories and our lives with others is a powerful way to transform ourselves and those around us.”
Watch the video below to see Phil’s progress on his latest project and click here for more updates as he brings his idea to life.
Get Involved
To get involved in Phil’s latest project, call (651)-321-4996 and leave him a voicemail sharing the story of a death you remember. For more information on booking Phil for a collaborative and interactive experience during your next event, please visit eaglestalentmanagement.com or call 1.800.345.5607.
