© 2009 PJ Cobbs

Talking Heads Project

Comfortable Paintings Pillows, acid dyes on silk, cotton backing

For the past five or so years, I've had this idea: to capture friends, neighbors--in general, folks with whom I've sometimes little  more than a passing acquaintance with-- on silk for a proposed installation. The concept of friendship has always been a strange one for me, especially coming from elsewhere and arriving in New York City. Here, we tend to latch on quickly to whomever we meet, becoming fast "friends" in the process. But are we really? We snap pictures on our phones, join friendship  sites to keep track of complete strangers.  So what does friendship truly mean?
These life-sized,  pillow-form portraits keep each other company, perhaps focusing elsewhere, but always close nonetheless. I've completed about 15; my goal is 100 by the end of the year. Please hold me to it.--PJ