Video projection
Variable dimensions
2000
In Live Every Day in Truth, Richard Humann transforms a simple human gesture into a meditation on presence, self-awareness, and the passage of time. The video projection features the artist’s long braid swinging slowly back and forth, mimicking the movement of a clock’s pendulum. Its repetitive motion creates a hypnotic visual experience, inviting the viewer to slow down, quiet the mind, and become attentive to the movement itself.
The pendulum evokes the familiar rhythms of daily life, the patterns and routines that often carry us forward without our conscious attention. We become absorbed in obligations, expectations, and thoughts about what has happened or what lies ahead, sometimes overlooking the experience of the present. By replacing the mechanical pendulum with a human braid, Humann brings the body into this measured rhythm, connecting the abstract passage of time to the physical experience of being alive.
Beneath the hypnotic repetition lies a quiet awareness of mortality. The pendulum’s steady movement recalls the passage of time and the reality that our lives have limits. Yet rather than emphasizing an ending, the work directs attention toward the moments that make up our lives as they unfold. Each swing resembles the one before it, but each occurs in a different instant, never to be repeated in precisely the same way. The work encourages us to recognize the value of these moments, not with fear or urgency, but with a deeper appreciation for the present.
The title, Live Every Day in Truth, gives this awareness a personal and ethical dimension. Living in truth requires an ongoing examination of our thoughts, actions, and relationships. It asks us to recognize ourselves honestly, acknowledge our contradictions, and consider whether the lives we lead reflect what we genuinely believe. Awareness of our mortality can sharpen this examination, reminding us that how we choose to live matters. Presence becomes more than simply being in the moment; it becomes a conscious way of engaging with ourselves and the world around us.
Through its restrained imagery and hypnotic rhythm, Live Every Day in Truth offers an invitation to pause and reflect on the relationship between time, awareness, and the choices we make. The braid swings back and forth, establishing a steady rhythm that is both familiar and contemplative. Humann transforms the motion of a clock into a reminder that while we cannot stop time, we can become more attentive to how we experience it. To live every day in truth is to meet the present with honesty and intention, recognizing the significance of our lives without losing sight of the simple act of living.
Richard Humann • Live Every Day In Truth, Still images showing sequence of the video projection, Variable dimensions, 2000
Richard Humann • Live Every Day In Truth from the solo exhibition, Evidence Of My Bieng at Lance Fung Gallery, New York City, 2000
Richard Humann • Live Every Day In Truth projected onto the Zimertoren tower, Lier, Belgium, 2001 • Voorkamer Gallery
Video credit: Orin Buck / Richard Humann Studio
Photo credits: Orin Buck / Richard Humann Studio
Joesph Silva / Richard Humann Studio
Joseph Humann / Richard Humann Studio