This chain was started by two participants tasked with sharing a word that related to a challenge or joy experienced during the pandemic. Both of the words were then sent to two different participants who were asked to create art and title it with a single word that might exist at the intersection of the two prompts they received. The chain continued as each pair individually made art that attempted to connect the two prior prompts in the chain. Though I was hoping that two artists might eventually come up with the same title for their work, they did get pretty darn close. Scroll down to view the various artistic translations in this chain and consider the various perspectives of the artists as they attempted to bridge the divide set before them.

 

LINK 1

whack-a-mole

family

 

LINK 2

roots

 

keep dancing

 

Roots, mixed media by Becky Smith

 

Keep Dancing, rubber block print by Anne Nydam

LINK 3

live long

 

celebrate traditions

 

Live Long, poem by Cindy Rivka Marshall

 

Celebrate Traditions, rice vessel (wrapped string basket) by Rachel Freudenburg

connected

LINK 4

 

prosper

Connected, clay sculpture by Sophie Krentzman

 

Prosper, papercut overlaid on vellum by Laura Mandel

LINK 5

growth

 

community

Growth, colored pencil by Ashley Buckholtz

LINK 6

flourish

Flourish, Driftwood, Mardi Gras Beads, Phonebook Page and Found Naturally Occurring Mica by John Nordell

LINK 7

presence

 

Presence, video by Maria Beatriz Arvelo

LINK 8

deep

Deep, pastel sketch by Erin Palazzolo-Loparo

LINK 9

home

 
 

LINK 10

distance

Distance, photograph by Adriana Katzew

LINK 11

reflection

Reflection, watercolor by Anya Shire-Plumb

LINK 12

healing

Healing, wood and metal by Topher Cox

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

“The time for the healing of the wounds has come. The moment to bridge the chasms that divide us has come. The time to build is upon us” -Nelson Mandela

Community, encaustic/mixed media by Hilary Hanson Bruel

knowledge

Knowledge, photograph by Alisa Kotler-Berkowitz

absorb

Absorb, mosaic pendant by Emily Bhargava

evolution

Evolution, poem by Lisa Wong

ripples

Ripples, alcohol ink by Y.S.

generation

 

Generation, photograph by Rotem Goldenberg

gap

Gap, wood by Dave Zucker

bridge

Bridge, photograph by Susan Epstein

Note: Though not an exact match, the imagery in both of these resonated with each other strongly enough, and reminded me of this quote by Nelson Mandela, and thus I felt it would be an appropriate end to this chain.