ART HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

In Stunt Dummies one virtually travels through seven different three-dimensional portals found on the perimeter of an image of an eye.

Main Screen, Stunt Dummies c. 2003 Kathleen Ruiiz

This circular structure parallels the 15^th century Flemish painting by Hieronymus Bosch, The Seven Deadly Sins.

Hieronymus Bosch, The Table Top of the Seven Deadly
Sins and the Four Last Things
Oil on Panel (47 ¼ X 59)
Prado, Madrid, 15^th Century

The eye of God detail from
The Table Top of the Seven Deadly
Sins and the Four Last Things

Stunt Dummies does not directly draw parallels to the seven deadly sins of anger, envy, gluttony, lust, pride, sloth and avarice depicted in Bosh’s work, but it certainly takes a direct hit on some contemporary technologically based ills such as misinformation, consumption, illusions of control, surveillance, obfuscation, addiction and space/time disjunction. Also, rather than Bosch’s always observant eye of God in the center of the image, in Stunt Dummies a more secular, technically derived image of a human eye (as photographed by ophthalmologist, Robert A. Schumer, M.D.) follows the actions of the game participant, beckoning for us to observe our contemporary technological culture more wisely. It acts as a conscious reminder that we create and control our technology.

Central Eye, Main Screen

Stunt Dummies c. 2003 Kathleen Ruiz