Reposting the first installation that I did at the Champlain Mill, May 2010, titled 'For the Children'

Originally, I had a concept of an installation with many white, sheer, fabric panels, 3ft x 7ft hanging in a larger space, where the participant could weave through and find a stool in the center with a red plexiglass piece hanging in the center as a reflection on the theme of life and death, or ideally, ultimately whatever it inspires in the viewer. 

This Champlain Mill show had a theme of the culture of the mills when they were working mills in the early 1900s. I adapted my installation idea to a small loft space in the mill, and adjusted the inner reflection area to one of a contemplation of the lost childhood's of the children who worked long hours in the mill, and a further reflection/comparison on the pressures on the modern day child. A worthy question we can all ask ourselves, from basic parenting, to schools, activities and sports; 'Are we allowing our children to be children? What kind of pressure are we putting on our children to perform?'

The installation is hanging fabric that guides the viewer through a maze ending in the final inner space of chair and table with teddy bear. There is a light in the center over the chair that glows, muted, from the outside, brightest in the inner space. There is a rough 'weaving' piece at the end of the final hallway, and a symbolic panel of fabric at the start, the fabric is a good replication of the fabric that would have been woven by the children in the mill.

The space most obviously evokes symbolism of inner child, and can also symbolize layers of self and other contemplations beyond the original concept. It can possibly be viewed as like an inner sanctum, or solo sanitarium if you will, the womb, etc.

It is a participatory space that asks the viewer to trust the process, the viewer being unknowing of where they are being led, or what is in the center. There is a brief description at the start of the piece at the bottom of the stairs.

The piece also plays on the viewers decisions/confidence in participating in an art piece...should i touch the bear? can i sit in the chair? as i walk by the weaved piece on the wall, i accidentally pulled a piece of the plastic or rope, should i fix it? my child pulled some of the weaving off the wall, what should i do? All of these questions/experiences for the viewer are intentional. Ultimately, I believe as an artist, that if we are inviting the viewer into a piece of our art, to participate with it, touching it is very important as well. I also sprayed some essential oils to evoke the sense of smell, which I don't think will still be strong by the time of the show. The weaving was intentionally set up roughly and haphazardly so, hopefully, even if the viewer chose not to sit in the chair or touch the bear, or contemplate the various themes, they'll catch a piece of the weaving on their purse or something as they walk by and be 'forced' to participate by having to weave the piece back in.

The entire piece is monochromatic as a 'backdrop' of serenity and peace for contemplating a serious and quite disturbing theme. However, it was important to me to also have a gentle piece that invites the viewer in and encourages participation in the ways stated above, but also allows the viewer to not engage at all in deeper contemplations. Being in the loft space allows the viewer to read the description and decide from the start whether to go further into the experience by walking up the stairs. The choice continues as to whether just walk the maze and simply look at the objects, or take it further and spend some time sitting and seeing what the space and the bear evoke in themselves. There is potential to walk out of the maze and piece and descend the stairs a changed and new person with ideally, a new perspective.