A Socially Engaged Practice artwork
involves a collaboration. Unlike a work
created by individual artists, artists and non-artists alike work towards a
common goal to make an artwork or installation.
The outcome is a work that expresses the common idea explored among the
group.
Art created using a social practice
component often addresses a social issue.
The act of working on the art helps participants understand the deeper
meaning of an idea and allows them to connect with a concept at a visceral
level.
The Forest was
created by the collaborative efforts of Jolie Boucher, Robin Boucher, Meggin
Hicklin, Tacie Jones, Pippi Miller, and VT Gallery Intern Megan Nilsson. VT Marketing intern and gallery attendant Morgan Hutchings helped us develop our social media marketing platform for this exhibit.
The concept moves
the viewer from the “Forest of Thoughts,” by Meggin Hicklin (writing, and
whispered voice), through to the “Experiential Forest,” (created by all of us,
forest slides by Jolie, Pippi, and Robin, Cloud video by Tacie), to the “Forest
Memory,” (Pippi Miller photos, and Tacie N. Jones charcoal drawings).
(Detail) Meggin Hicklin " The Forest Is"
Tacie Jones "Sky Video" & Charcoal Trees (back)
"The Forest - Experiential"
Dr. Mae Hey talks about "The Forest" and Native American culture with children visiting the exhibit.
Dr. Mae Hey, Inclusive Virginia Tech Faculty Fellow, honored the native Monacan people who inhabited
the land that Perspective Gallery is built upon at The Forest opening reception on Friday November 3. The tradition of honoring native lands is new
to the United States, but is standard practice in Canada, New Zealand, and
Australia. #HonorNativeLand. Read Dr. Mae Hey's acknowledgement at the end of this blog post.
2017 Gallery Marketing Intern, Morgan Hutchings walks "The Forest" pathway.
"The Forest" is alive with sprouting mushrooms. (photo Morgan Hutchings)
"The Forest-Experiential" projected images was a collaborative work by Pippi Miller, Jolie Boucher & Robin Scully Boucher (photos) and Megan Nilsson (video design).
"The Forest" with secret lights (foreground). Pippi Miller's photographs and Tacie Miller's drawings in background.
"The Forest-Memory" aspect of the exhibit.
This immersive exhibit metaphorically moved you through life's stages. "The Forest Is" embraced the early embryonic, ethereal-not quite here, stage of life (forest thoughts). "The Forest Experiential," included the actual trees, rocks, leaves, and videos. These aspects of the exhibit represented spring, summer, and fall (early to mid-life). The back of the gallery spoke of "forest memory" which was embodied in the images of winter trees and represented old age.
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Mae Hey's Acknowledgement #HonorNativeLands
Boozhoo kina-awiiya. MaeHey nindizhinikaaz. Nadowewi
Gichigami gaye Ininwewi Gichigami nindoonjii. Gaawiin mashi ningikendansin
nindoodem. Anishinaabekwe gaye Zhaganashikwe indaaw.
Hello everysomeone. I am MaeHey. I speak first in
the language of my ancestors so they can understand how thankful I am to them
for imagining a path for me that would lead to a moment of such beauty. It is
an honor to be asked to bless this gathering by respecting the Monacan Nation as
the first humans to love and care for this place. It is now our privilege to
participate in that continued care of this land with those First People.
Our Elders talk of time…
Remembering how all things spoke…
In common language…
The product of intent listening.
Rock people, plant people…
Winged people, finned people…
Four-legged, two-legged…
Sharing a communication bent on understanding.
Let us think of the energy in Nature…
She shares with us as our first teacher…
Because she loves us…
She is patient and ever-present…
Instructing our toes through the dirt…
Our hearts through the fire…
Our lungs through the wind…
Our souls through the sunrise.
She communicates…
With all that we are…
Through our fluid and…
Interwoven essence.
It is an honor to be asked to welcome you here today
to celebrate Nature and how she teaches us to walk in a beautiful way with her
each day. I am fortunate to work directly with the original inhabitants of this
land and see how they still care for this place. The Monacan Nation coevolved with this land
and flattened the grass on this trail with their delicate steps for our
continued persistence with her. Let us give thanks to them for that careful and
thoughtful work—work rooted in love that continues today.
Many other Nations have now visited this land and
also have fallen in love with her. This land has been shared through time and
it is a tremendous blessing to contribute to that layered collaboration. As part of Virginia Tech, we honor our
relatives by continuing to find ways of participating in creation with Nature
in ways aligned with her through the teachings she shares with us.
Let us allow these works of art to evoke reflection
on our responsibility to and love for our niche within Nature’s systems.
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