Community Fabric
Curated by: Adam Jussel and Aragorn Quinn
Fabric refers both to the medium with which we express our identities – the clothes we wear – and to the way shared adversity can create personal connections that interweave our lives with others.
We are returning to campus in an extended recovery stage marked by trauma, excitement, and isolation. The pandemic has claimed the lives of more than 600,000 Americans and countless others around the globe. And it is not over. No one has been completely untouched by it. All of us have experienced the dramatic disruption of our work, study, and social lives. Many have lost loved ones. We have all experienced disconnection and loss.
Community Fabric recognizes the diverse identities, experiences, and pathways to healing within our campus. It draws on the imagery of traditional dress from all six inhabited continents and on the symbolism of our steadfast lake in grounding us in our environment. It reminds us of our connections, how we have come together in the face of adversity, and of the interwoven nature of the campus community. It also reminds us that being aware of our sensorial experiences in the present—what we can hear, see, feel, right now—helps to calm internal narratives about the past and future. By turning away from both the disappointments and joys of the past as well as fears and hopes for the future, your mind and body can be calmed by focusing on right here and right now.
Community Fabric invites you to take a moment to center yourself. Shift into a mindset of calm, of reverent reflection, and of contemplation. Focus your thoughts on what you can see, feel, and hear right now. Then enjoy the rest of the exhibition.
We invite you to return and contribute pieces of fabric that have meaning for you, which we will incorporate into the dynamic mobile in the niche.