some exciting yet stressful news

So I've gotten permission to continue an installation I began a few weeks ago for my final project in photo silkscreen. I've been silk screening a collage of images taken from newspapers I titled "Piercing the Emotional Armor of Indifference Amid a Heavy Atmosphere"on to 22"x30" paper (about four layers a piece). I've been loaning them out to friends, requesting that they write about personal experiences they might not otherwise share or think about. So far, I've collected stories about abuse, eating disorders, sexual assault, prejudice, and drug addiction.

The project began a wish that people would take ongoing matters in world events a bit more seriously--a need and desire for the cure of apathy. It has become an experience and psychological process through which others have begun to pierce their own emotional armor to take a closer look at the social issues and ongoing situations within their own lives.

I briefly had the beginnings of the installation (about 10 prints) up in my hallway for the art show I hold every semester and I've begun to have people request to be a part of the project and share their own stories. I wrote one as well.

The goal is to print 100 more of these and to loan them to family, friends, and perfect strangers. By the end of the semester, I'd like to have them displayed in the rotunda of the Fine Arts building. I'm thrilled about the project and how meaningful it has become to someone more than myself. I'm grateful the experience has become a method of healing (albeit a minor one) for some and a catylist of reflection for others.

That being said...not a lot of time left, 100 prints at 4 layers each will probably take me an entire weekend in the studio and then I have to track people down and ask them to share incredibly personal stories....it'll be incredible to have it up. That's all I keep picturing in my head--each pannel filled with these prints. So much has been forgotten--so much that shapes the amazing people around me and I can't help but think that it's despite/inspite/or perhaps because of these experiences we have become better people so long as we never fail to lose the awareness we've begun to develop with regards to our own thoughts and actions.