Deseos

An installation by Carolyn Kallenborn

Pi Gallery.....Kansas City Missouri..... October 5th  – October 27th, 2007

In the last few years I have watched events unfold in my life and in the world that have somehow created so much tension that it feels as if everything is tearing at the seams and is at the verge of breaking. I feel helpless and overwhelmed. When so much of life is filled with aggression, fear and defensiveness, what can a person do, either in their personal life or in the broader societal context to change anything?  After sleepless nights and discussions with others I decided that there is no one thing that we can all do. There is no one correct answer. But each of us are able to respond in a small way in our own unique voice. I don’t think any one person can change much. But if we each take a small step forward, together we can begin to heal ourselves and our communities, both nationally and internationally.

 

 

 

Cascada

Interative Installation

Dyed threads, painted stones, fabric flower petals

Think of a person you admired who has passed on.....

 

On a rose petal, write down a characteristic that person had, that you would like to emulate.....

 

Place your rose petal in the cascade and in return, choose a rock from the cascade to take home with you

 
 
 
 

Espiral
Dyed thread, fabric petals, metal, painted stones  

The work in this exhibition was inspired by the improvisational and interactive altars that I have seen during my time in Oaxaca, Mexico. Ofrendas (altars) are found in homes, in cemeteries, in little nooks in the wall or on sidewalk on the streets. Milagros are small charms that are left on statues in the churches as prayers for healing the heart, the mind or the body. These physical objects become conscious visual reminders of a person, a wish or a hope.

 

Tres Telas

Handwoven cloth from the markets in Oaxaca, natural dyes, shells, beads, found objects

 

This exhibition is my public ofrenda, or my altar. It is a physical manifestation of my wish or desire for healing for myself and our world community. With objects and interaction, I hope to create a place of reflection and memories of those things that are important in life.  When I think of the people who I loved and of how they have inspired me, it challenges me to keep those positive influences alive in my life. With this exhibition, I invite others to do the same. In a time of adversity and in desperate situations, sometimes the smallest act, intentionally taken, can help dispel the sense of helplessness.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photos by Jeffry Bruce