It's What's Inside That Counts

Leslie Kulesh
It's What's Inside That Counts
April 3 - 18, 2015
Reception: Friday, April 3, 7:00 - 10:00 pm
Artist Talk: Sunday, April 12, 12:00 - 2:00 pm

Deep inside of the earth - veins necessary to power everything we hold dear. Deep inside of you - veins necessary to power everything we hold dear. Above the ground, some humans control others. Outside the body, some humans control others. The first to find the veins will pick at them, deep under ground. An iPhone vibrates in coveralls - alerting the end of the shift. There is no light inside the earth - the vibration is a physical alert. Vibrating Tungsten; the very mineral vein being mined on this shift. Above ground, through twilight, the body carries mineral crystals packed into a cloth and tightly strapped on their back. Use the power of Tungsten no more than twice a week, particularly before starting a venture you planned. The boost will help you make the right choice and avoid possible flops. Take Tin, Tantulum and Tungsten together wherever you go. Tin, a grounding stone that provides protection from danger and subdues bursts of anger and sudden impatience. Tantulum, a stone that endows weak-willed and insecure people with confidence and courage. Tungsten enhances one's stamina, and makes one's mind deep, sober and agile.


Et al. presents Leslie Kulesh's It's What's Inside That Counts, where the public is invited to contemplate a series of stuffed fabric works featuring minerals vital to our everyday life. Like the parcels used to carry a day's mining to market, Kulesh's wall pieces are filled then strapped secure. Each piece contains one crystal of Cassiterite, a tin oxide used in smart phones; and several rare earth magnets, changing the electromagnetic charge of the gallery space.

In it's form and content, the exhibition traces vital tech components back into the core of the earth, as well as the body and the soul:

1) Literally - It IS what's inside that counts

2) Lately - Slick simple tech items (smart phones, internet of things, quantified self) that are chock full of super toxic minerals… that come from

3) Actually - The inside of the earth and are packaged up in fabric and ties at the end of each mining day and hauled to remote airports through jungles

4) Magically - These same minerals which come in crystal form from the mines are also distributed amongst the new age community as having healing powers

1) Literally - The ability to change your insides, for good, for bad, for toxic, for entertainment - It's What's Inside That Counts


Leslie Kulesh (b. 1982 Lake Forest, IL USA) produces performance and sculpture across multiple platforms, seeking to reveal the role of technology as a material labour that intersects with human-being as well and land-being, becoming a symptom of contemporary culture production. Recent projects include 'T.A.G. Temporary Autonomous Girl' Online, 'Vanity Fair' Project Native Informant, London, 'Baby BoBo' Hotel Palenque at Center, Berlin and 'Sylvanian Fashion Week' Cosmos Carl Online.