extension of thought. 

Dismayed by daily news reports about upheavals, insults or lies I decided to dedicate an initiative to goodness, hope and truth.

 

Extension of Thought is inspired by Aaron Copeland’s Fanfare to the Common Man, an orchestral piece written as a hymn and  celebration of American unity at the start of WWII. Tibetan prayer flags which carry our prayers to the heavens provide the visual inspiration.

I asked members of the Paducah community to write a positive wish or prayer on a piece of translucent Japanese paper. I collected thousands of wishes and categorized them into 26 themes.

I translated the small flags into larger versions, preserving the original handwriting. The flags hang on thirty-foot crocheted linen ladders that reach floor to ceiling. Accompanying the exhibition are 26 handbound books, one for each theme. The flags are tipped onto pages
printed with the crocheted ladders.

An ever-evolving piece, during an exhibition I invite the audience to write their wishes and hang them on smaller ladders that I later tip into the books. The collective of voices generates conversations and happiness – and helps us realize that it’s a consolidation of individuals that create culture.