Recor first appeared in Hanover with his signature ornate gold mask with spikes this past fall and has experienced mixed receptions from students and community members. According to Recor, confusion is often among the reactions.
"I was unsure about it, as there was controversy, and people did not understand and were upset," Recor said in an interview with The Dartmouth. "They wanted to see my face. Hanover Police was concerned for a while. At first I was a little nervous, but I can understand that now, they were trying to protect me and the students. They helped the message get out to the other students when there were complaints. Now, just being here, a lot of people embraced me, and I was not expecting that."
Even Recor's "Sun God" moniker is an indication of the large buzz that originally surrounded his project the name was given to him by the media. He originally went by the name of "Big Love," representing his love for women, which he cites as the main reason for beginning the project.
According to Recor, who is enrolled in the Masters of Arts in Liberal Studies program for creative writing, coming to Dartmouth gave him an opportunity to physically display his love, joy, sorrow and anger by taking on a character of his creation and telling his life story including his experiences during his time spent as an undergraduate at University of Maine through dance, martial arts and photography.
"The natural thing was to create performing arts out of it and express myself through all of these media outlets," Recor said. "It's all body language, not really any talking at all, and I'm always on the walk."
Recor said that he has noticed several changes since beginning his second term as Dartmouth's least official mascot, particularly the drop in temperatures since September. Although the cold has affected the frequency with which he ventures out into the night to perform, it has done little to stunt the growth of Recor's project. When the Sun God does come out, he stays in the cold for an average of five hours.
"It takes me 40 minutes to get into costume, because of the winter," Recor said. "I go to the Bema every night, get into character, stretch, play music and patrol sometimes up and down frat row."
But winter has brought more than superficial changes, according to Recor.
"When I first started it was very experimental, but now it's more serious," he said. "I'm reaching out to companies, but not really advertising or asking for money, I just want support and donations shoes, masks, et cetera. I want to pursue this after college, but I can't afford it, so I need to figure out a way to fund it."While Recor said he is pursuing a performing arts grant, he has never received funding for the venture. Money, however, is not the only issue with sustaining the project.
"I contribute my entire life savings, not just financially, but emotionally," Recor said. "It takes a lot of physical energy to get through the dances and preparation. To me, it's worth it because love is the most powerful thing in the universe, so it doesn't really matter what I sacrifice."
As the mastermind behind the effort, Recor has also come up with creative advertising techniques to inform people of his presence.
"There are displays in Carson and Thayer, and a silhouette cut out in Baker, but people end up taking everything down, not considering the cost of printing," Recor said. "Everything is free, including my performances, so it's tough. People were scared at first, so I put up those signs to show people who I am and what I'm trying to do."
Recor has also turned to the Internet for advertising opportunities his Facebook page currently has over 700 fans, and he is working to develop a web site, Theater-on-the-Walk.com.
"It's going to be a combination of storytelling with photography in different locations, so the idea is that I would travel around the world," he said
The advertising seems to serve the original purpose Recor laid out to accustom the community to his presence. According to Recor, students often join him on campus when he happens to be out in the cold.
"I completely support his message. However, the Dartmouth community has become accustomed to his presence," Huan He '13 said. "He needs to step up his game if he wants to get his message across."
For now, Recor said he is pleased with all of the support he has been receiving, and he wants to continue spreading his message of love and acceptance to the students of Dartmouth, and to the world, since all of his goals have yet to be reached. He also said he wants to conduct a march that incorporates his messages of love and attempts at trying to understand why people get so uncomfortable when it comes to expressing emotion towards one another.
"On April 12, I want to do a Love March,' and I designed 10 flags with the word love written in the 10 main languages of the world," Recor said. "I'll try to get together a bunch of people on campus and in downtown Hanover, and maybe I'll give a speech."
In terms of his future after Dartmouth, Recor said he wants to continue his production throughout his career at Dartmouth and after graduation, incorporating new events that take place along the way, which may include finding love and overcoming his heartbreak from past loves.
"I want to send the right message," Recor said, "I am moving more towards an activist approach, and I might use this as a centerpiece for future politics, or something like that. If things continue the way that they are, this will be my career, and that's why it's so personal to me. My mask won't be just a mask. It will become my face."
