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Where: Lux Center for the Arts, 2601 N. 48th St., Lincoln
When: Through Aug. 1. Gallery hours are Tuesdays through Fridays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed Sundays and Mondays.
Admission: Free. 402-466-8692.
Jamie Burmeister is now running in Lincoln, thanks to “Needle in Cotton”
By John Pitcher
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
Artist Jamie Burmeister is probably best known in Omaha for two installations.
“Bucket” at the Gene Leahy Mall is a swiveling, stainless-steel bucket that constantly pours water into a small pool.
“Omaha Song” at the Omaha Children's Museum consists of a giant sculpted “O” that plays chimes whenever anyone sits on it.
The 40-year-old Burmeister was born in Harlan, Iowa, and teaches art at Omaha's Metropolitan Community College. He lives in Gretna with his wife, Kelli, and two children.
His latest exhibit, “Needle in Cotton,” is a video installation at the Lux Center for the Arts in Lincoln.
Last Oct. 8, Burmeister stepped out of his house and ran 26 miles — a marathon. He filmed himself running, and the video is part of the exhibit.
We recently — ahem — caught up with the artist to ask him a few questions.
How long have you been running, and what inspired you to turn athletics into art?
“I've been running for exercise and recreation my whole life. But about five years and two surgeries ago, I became interested in how the mind functions when it's engaged in repetitive activities like running. That got me thinking about the marathon. It's really more of a mental activity than a physical one. Your mind tells the body to keep moving, even though it hurts. So the new exhibit attempts to document that.
What's in the exhibit?
There are two large projection screens. One shows my face as I was running. The other shows my shadow, which is what I see as I'm running. There's also an interactive table that has several components. One is a map of my route. Another is a sculpted figure of a runner on a track. And there's also a heart-rate sensor that the viewers can use to measure their own heart rates. So the viewer becomes part of the exhibit.
What's “Needle in Cotton” mean?
A basic principle of tai chi is called Needle in Cotton. The needle represents your body's center line or axis of rotation. The cotton represents everything outside of your core. I focused on this principle while running to keep my focus and form for the marathon. This principle helped me develop a running form that was more efficient and had less chance of injury.
How did you film yourself running?
I built a special hat that I fitted with a small video camera. The camera was pointed at my face most of the time. But for a short time, I also filmed my shadow running. That segment is set on a constant loop on the projection screen.
You mentioned two surgeries. Were they related to the exhibit?
Yeah, when I first started training for the marathon five years ago, I began feeling pain in my left knee. I had some torn cartilage that needed surgery. That injury and surgery ate up a couple of years. Later, I aggravated a chronic problem with my shoulder that took more surgery and ate up another couple of years. I finally ran the marathon last October and spent the time since preparing the exhibit.
What did you learn about your mind during this marathon project?
I learned that during these repetitive activities, the mind enters a meditative state. This is when your inner voice becomes quiet and everything seems right in the world. It's when your monkey mind takes over. The monkey mind jumps from one thing to another. That's when my mind enters its most creative state.
Contact the writer:
444-1076, john.pitcher@owh.com
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