Michael Rippens
Installation On-site June 4th:
Care Calls
Care Calls is a proposed sound work that collages clips of telephone interviews I conducted with Filipino caregivers from the L.A. area during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. These interviews are part of Care Talk, an interactive storytelling project that aimed to amplify the voices of frontline workers while exploring the connection between Filipino immigrants and the U.S. healthcare system.
Because Covid limited in-person interactions, I utilized the telephone as a physically-distant platform to collect caregivers’ stories. Care Calls will allow visitors to “listen in” on these interviews through a modified landline phone which will play an abstracted amalgamation of the voice recordings.
More information on June 4th on-site event.
About the Artist:
Michael Rippens is a multidisciplinary artist whose work focuses on public, participatory, and socially-engaged art projects. Employing a range of media including performance, audio, video, installation and sculpture, Rippens considers issues surrounding systemic inequities, and imagines alternative ways to bridge gaps in existing structures. As a biracial Filipino-American, Rippens draws inspiration from his personal and family history to explore multiple—and multilayered—backgrounds and perspectives, engage with diverse communities, and amplify unheard narratives.
Artist Location: Los Angeles, CA
Social Media: Artist Website | Instagram
