Drum Casket is scheduled to be built and played in Bamako, Mali, West Africa in 2012.

Drum Casket is a giant drum built big enough for for a person to be inside. A group gathers to beat upon the lid.  The pulses of rhythm and the vibrations of the drumming are felt by the person inside. The drum itself allows air in and out of a port hole, like a subwoofer or kick drum.  This air is felt on the face of the person inside. When that person is ready to get out, they reach their hand up through the hole to signal their desire to reunite with the group.

Drum Casket is a celebration of life, it is a reason to be with people for the sake of celebrating life. It was partly inspired by the western traditions of calling hours (the act of congregating to mourn with friends and loved ones) and  traditional funerals. Most importantly, it is a celebration- a reminder of the spectacular event of living; the realization and appreciation of the being alive.

Drum Casket is a way to wake up the senses and play. I have been developing and having fun experimenting with this project in Ohio and New York. The footage in the video(Thank You Peter Richards!) is from an event I held in my East Harlem studio.  My vision is that Drum Casket will be experienced in many ways with many different peoples. As it is still young, taking Drum Casket to Mali will be a rich and formative experience.

The cost of shipping is impossible. Drum Casket will have to be built in Bamako, Mali. I will be without my conventional resources and tools. To make this vision a reality, I will be working with local friends, musicians, and furniture builders in Bamako. I welcome this challenge and greatly anticipate the experience of working with such incredible people.

Financial support is needed to offset the expenses of travel, fabrication, and documentation. The success of this event in Bamako will establish a relationship of my work with a rich and diverse culture. By donating to this project, you are supporting my vision and a celebration for many people.

Upon my return to New York a Drum Casket celebration will be held in a gallery along side the documentation from Bamako. I invite you to share this experience and I look forward to bringing Drum Casket closer to you.