OPTION 2: STRATEGIZING A SERIES
1. I’ve been thinking about and living with this idea for months....... developing one or more pieces about the FLINT MICHIGAN LEAD WATER HORROR.
2. Word Associations:
Children - Impact On; Educational; Ability to Obtain Employment; Future Care
Parental Caretakers - Overload; Impact on Children’s Lives; Obtaining Clean Water; Getting Children Tested; Supporting Children in School; Daily Living Responsibilities
Daily Living - Cooking with Water; Showers; Brushing Teeth; Laundry
Clean Water - Access To: Cost; Containers; Heavy; No Car to get to Fire Station; Burden on;
Political - Governor’s Actions; When Did He Know; Political Power; Take Over of City Government; Voter Suppression; Congressional Hearings; Funding for Governor’s Legal Bills
Schools - Impact on Learning; Report Cards; Additional Resources Required; Behavioral Issues
Medical - Testing for Lead; Current Medical Care ; Future Medical Care ; Dealing With Behavioral Issues; Nutritional Support
Economic - Dollars to Replace Pipes; Dollars for Medical Care; Dollars for Caretaker Support; Dollars for Lawsuits; Dollars for Reimbursement of Bad Water Bills; Dollars for Conversion to other Water Sources; Dollars for Clean Water; Dollars for Inspections; Funding for Infrastructure
Water Pipes- Lead In; Corrosion; Replacement; Resources to Replace;
Lake - Lead Clean Up
Social Issues - Poverty; Race; Class
Media - Head in Sand for Too Long; No Trust In;
Feelings - Anger; Rage; Despair; Worn Down; Frustrated; On Overload; Unfair
Excuses/Responsibility - Recognition Some Caretakers May Take Advantage
- FIRST CULLING OF ELEMENTS
Water Pipes- Black; Corroded;
Dreary - Muted; Greyed;
Text - ???????
- SAMPLING STAGE
- One vision is to make panels connected by dowels representing the pipes....with each panel making a picture representing one of the elements above. Try wood dowels connected with combination of stitch/ transparent fabric as background layer. Then additional layers of imagery and text, again in stitch, transparent fabric, (i.e., school, bad report card). Refine specific imagery and text under Elements above depending on size and weight of panels. Panel sizes ranging from 6” x 8” to 10” x 12” ?????
Tools: different size dowels (consideration of weight and size for hanging); paint; organza; cheesecloth; threads;
b. Another vision is a series of collage type imagery and text using the above ELEMENTS with black pipe (dowels) sewn into the piece. Possible size 24” x 40”. I wont develop this further at this point.
KEEP THINKING: HOW MUCH OF THE STORY TO TELL. THIS IS ALWAYS AN ISSUE FOR ME WITH MY FOCUS ON SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES. IT FEELS TO ME AS IF I WANT TO LEAN ON THE SIDE OF TELLING MORE OF THE STORY. AND SOME OF THE WORK I’VE MADE WITHOUT TELLING ALL THE STORY, I FIND MYSELF USINGTHE ARTIST’S STATEMENT TO ENHANCE THE MEANING.
CHANGE IN DIRECTION: FLINT MICHIGAN LEAD CRISIS
I woke up this morning knowing that I had not culled my original list nearly enough. I have now eliminated all issues except for : CHILDREN. My goal is to continue with the stitched panel approach but take the panels through from the time children are in the womb to an older age. The panels will be staged to reflect the impact of the lead poisoning in children on each stage of a person’s life.
Also i’ve been wrestling with the issue of how to show the sludge of lead on a fragile stitched piece as I envision having sludge leach from the pipes. And have come up with some options including backing the stitched piece with either organza or netting which will still allow for a “holey’ lace effect but handle some process involving a “sludgy” look, e.g., perhaps painted puff paint or heavy yarn or wool roving painted to looklike sludge.
And finally, I’ve been thinking about how such a piece that becomes somewhat 3 dimensional with the sludge will ship for exhibitions and determined that with the panel effect, the piece can be carefully folded panel by panel and shipped in a flat box (say 15" x 15" rather than rolled.
i haven't started the sampling yet as I had to order some different size sticks but I’m getting excited.