Students, ages 13 to 15, immersed themselves in site-specific art at The Aldrich, guided by Barb Jennes, poet, writer, and currently an eighth-grade English teacher in Ridgefield. Students spent the week exploring the installations, sculptures (indoors and out), and “play-with-it” interactive artwork of four outstanding contemporary artists. Students then expressed their deep engagement with the creative experience in writing for various literary media. The group collaborated, shared, and created with each other. A selection of the participants’ writing has been showcased in the galleries and on the this blog, offering Aldrich visitors a unique perspective into the current series of exhibitions.
]]>The Past, where humankind dies,
Trapped by nature's restrictions
Living like primitive savages
With no direction or plans
It has the tools, just not the brains
Nature’s child, it lives in despair
Living not by its own rules and creations
But by those of another being
The Present, where nature is prisoner
Used by its child, humankind, to its advantage
Now nature is trapped by it human offspring,
The restraints and shackles know no bounds
Nature's fate is controlled by the will of humans
Imprisoned and confined, nature is trapped forever
Unable to flourish like the days of old
Used and disposed of by its own creation.
The Present, where humankind thrives,
Free from its shackles of nature
It now uses the tools given to it to control nature
To imprison nature and use it for itself
Humankind’s greed and lust know no bounds
Controlling all that it sees
It depends on nature, but destroys it all the same
Not aware of the destruction it brings upon itself
The Future, where nature all but dies
Held completely captive by the human world
Blinded in chains with no room to grow or breathe
Nature is a slave, destined to support humanity
But gaining nothing in return
Nature grows no more,
Disposed of until all of nature is gone
With humans not knowing or caring what will happen after
The Future, where humankind is all that there is
Disposing of all nature once they are done with it
It is all removed to make way for the cities
Towns of gold and gears
Nothing replanted, it’d just get in the way
It is all destroyed forever to make room
For more pointless buildings that only take up space
Humanity kills itself through its ignorance of nature
And all it provides
Killing itself slowly but surely
Ignoring its eventual demise
Living to stay in the now, because the future’s for somebody else
Why should they care if they can forget it all
In their fake world of ignorance?
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Symbolism in “Stay Silent”
The idea of a wolf skull bound by black tape at the muzzle was influenced by three of the artists on exhibit at The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum. The wolf skull was inspired by David Brooks and represents falling apart, with the object’s insides being revealed and viewed by others. The skull is what's left of a wolf, and its skeleton (skull) can easily be viewed from the top by viewers. The black duct tape over the muzzle was inspired by Kim Jones, as evidenced by the fact that the wolf was bound during death, immobile, and hurt in a world where speaking out and being strong and joyful are frowned upon by some. This happens in the real world, too; some people are so unhappy and insecure with themselves that they point out and criticize the things that makes somebody else who they are. For instance, if a person is naturally very loud and it annoys the unhappy person, the unhappy person will try to make the loud person feel less sure of themselves by telling them that their loud voice is a flaw. The plants included in my art were inspired by Virginia Overton; these represent the fact that beauty can be found in the strangest places: life (the plants) can be found in death (the skull).
]]>[Lights up on three structures. To the left, Untitled (Log Stand 1); in the middle, Untitled (Log Stand 2); to the right, Untitled (Log Stand 3). This is the Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art.]
Log Stand 1: (In a thick British accent) Hello, I’m Untitled, but you can call me Log Stand 1.
Log Stand 2: (In a sweet, motherly voice) I’m also Untitled, but you can call me Log Stand 2.
Log Stand 3: (Totally disinterested) …Yada, yada… call me Log Stand 3.
LS1: There are three things you should know about us. (LS3 turns to look outside.) One: We are all from the same tree. A tree that was knocked down a little while back due to safety concerns.
LS2: (Continuing) Two: We are all separate pieces of contemporary art created by Virginia Overton.
LS3: …
LS1: *Ahem*
LS2: (Whispering) Three!
LS3: Oh, sorry, I was just waving to Untitled out there. How you doing Suspended Log?!
LS1: Oh my goodness!
LS2: Three was just going to say how we are on display at the Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art.
LS1: There’s even a sign. A little sign in the front of the room.
LS2: Back to what we were saying. We each represent a multitude of ideas, depending on the mental angles from which we are viewed.
LS3: Whoah, slow there. I thought we represented the precarious balance of humanity and nature.
LS1: Must you always! We represent the emotion and movement involved with life and death.
LS2: No, no, no. We represent every idea. We exist not as a representation to enforce a certain idea, but as an abstraction to guide thought. We can represent any meaning that comes to mind.
LS3: I think I’m right. The literal answer is usually right.
LS1: On the contrary, this is contemporary art. Metaphysical answers always prevail.
LS2: Good grief, you're both right! Now I’m gonna stop talking because I see that I’m getting nowhere with you two.
LS1 and LS3: (In unison) Fine.
]]>In addition to serving as a time portal, Virginia Overton’s “Log Stands” act as a symbol for nature and humankind. Each log balances on a metal stand, the dry tree limbs symbolizing nature while the steel support represent humankind. Nature’s fate rests in the hands of humanity, and the balance can easily be upset.
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