Fighting Inertia - New Work, New Show
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about art, painting especially, and sustainability. How can I express concern and hope, beauty and possibilities, action without unhelpful overwhelm? This led me to the root, as I see it, of the issue - the human difficulties with change. We have so many eco-friendly options, technologies, and ideas… but to really move the needle they require at this point some pretty big changes. Inertia, then, is one of our biggest challenges.
Think of the simple, ubiquitous balloon as a symbol then - it’s plastic that after a day or so at the party becomes useless trash for years and years and can harm wildlife. But they are still sold, people still buy them, there are other options. Yep, if you ask “aren’t there bigger things to worry about than a balloon?”, I’d say sure. But it’s the MINDSET I’m expressing here. It’s time to stretch our mental construct of society and shift it. Balloons, plastics, transportation, oil subsidies, housing, income inequity… on and on. Step 1 toward a resilient and sustainable future is stopping to question aspects of our lives and ask if there are better ways that serve more of us and in a better way. From education in critical thinking, systems impacts, and resilient communities, it starts with a mindset that pushes back on inertia and lets us move forward.
Please enjoy this video poem that explores this idea in another way. "Inertia" 36"x24" oil on canvas is on view at the Yuan-Ru Gallery & Art Center in Bellevue through December 21, 2023 as part of the Passing By is No Longer an Option group show curated by Tamar Alsberg of ArtMa Popup. There will be a host of free events, from Friday Wine Nights to art talks and performances. Click here for the full list and to register for free.
ubiquitous colored orbs
latex, nylon, polypropo-what?
fun for a day...
limp mementos
for years and years
little bits
in little bird tummies
are not what i wanted for
my birthday
nobody ever died
from missing
decor bubbles
such a small thing
to let go of
to let go away
to go away
to be no more
to make room for other things
inertia is a mindset