One Year

‘One Year’ was an art installation consisting of hundreds of wire sculpture vessels– 331, one for every murder in Philadelphia in 2012. Both a mentoring project and art collaboration, One Year was mounted with assistance from Philadelphia anti-violence group- Mothers in Charge. The installation and vessels were created in partnership with four other artists: Brenda Howell, Janice Hayes-Cha, Julie Mann and Kimberly Mehler, as well as in workshops with affected youth, grief support and local arts and community groups. The vessels were installed to create a monumental and moving work of art. The project took almost two years from conception to finish. One Year was exhibited in both The Painted Bride Art Center in an intimate, private setting, and during the Philadelphia FringeArts festival in the Sanctuary of the Rotunda at the University of Pennsylvania. In a profoundly moving presentation, the FringeArts exhibit included a haunting soundtrack by Timothy Nelson and inspirational spoken word performances by women of Mothers in Charge.

Of the FringeArts exhibit Rachel Heidenry wrote in her review at the ArtBlog –

“I first experienced the work in the late afternoon, just as the sun hit the Rotunda’s giant windows and cast further shadows against the white cloth. These interacted with the shadows of the vessels and activated a dance across each panel that began moving through the space and creating new forms.”

For images of this installation, a full description of the work, and the full review by Rachel visit: theartblog.com

Additional Press Coverage:

One Year – “In art, mothers find way to deal with losing a child“, article by Melissa Dribben, Inquirer Staff Writer
One Year – Radio Interview – WHYY Newsworks interview by Yowei Shaw