Stitches: Sage Flannery & Éva Lund
It’s a beautiful Saturday morning and there is a line out the door for Café des Chutes. Rachel draws portraits across from me as we brainstorm questions for our first interview with some “Entangle” artists. I feel both scattered and as prepared as I can be. I've never done this before, and the anxiety I felt in my chest now sits in my stomach as Sage approaches with her bright smile and glowing aura. We move our things into the Workhouse and get comfortable. Rachel and I sit across the massive and *iconic work table from Éva and Sage. I take a deep breath. And, we begin.
I start by asking for a description of their proposed installation.
"We wanted to take the opportunity to do something big." - Éva Lund
She slides a notebook over and I can see a sketch of a human figure emerging from the piece of paper, with hands pulling apart the chest cavity to reveal a container. I read the text: "Full size bottom to top: 6-8ft" and I immediately got goosebumps.
Éva explains the concept behind this figure. She attended our "Community Portal" event a few weeks ago where we had folks answer the question: "What is community?" while Rachel and our good friend Emily Mills drew their portraits. Éva noticed that many people mentioned something along the lines of being surrounded by large groups of people and felt she didn't resonate with that answer. When she brought it up to Sage, they both felt their communities were small and different.
Here is their complete definition of community:
"To feel a fellowship with others does not mean merely to be surrounded by people. To have a community you need to feel you share, common interests, attitudes, and goals with the people around you. To feel accepted, understood and respected by your peers. Having community starts within you."
At this point, they go into the logistics of the structure itself. This is where Sage steps in with a confidence I admired. Insulation foam, cardboard, spray foam, and some sort of clay. The chest cavity opens up to a vessel where you might take things and put things in that help you "open up" and resemble your true self. What kinds of things? To be determined!
"We like the idea of you having to reach in." - Sage Flannery
There is an electricity in the room I can only describe as the "creative buzz" you get when the ideas you had in your head are manifesting themselves into your reality.
I ask how the two of them met. A shared smile and chuckles from them both and then Sage exclaims "I sent her a DM!". They had both been interested in being a part of the exhibit and Sage felt they would work well together and made the terrifying ask to collaborate.
This makes me happy for a number of reasons. I got to witness a budding friendship between two people. This exhibit is already doing what it was meant to do: bringing folks together.
As I drive away from the first of many of these little documentaries, I realize the pit in my stomach has dissolved. In its place: wonder and an electric excitement I can only describe as the feeling of dreams exceeding reality. And now, I can’t wait to do it all again.
