COVID Compels Creativity in the “Circle of Unity”
Exhibition on now at History Fort Lauderdale
by Tara Chadwick, November 29, 2020
Notes on the process
We come together in the very midst of this unprecedented
global pandemic, compelled by the dictates of necessity to comply with the laws
of nature and to reinvigorate our understanding of the role we play as humans
within the habitat we share with all living beings.
As we work to integrate this renewed understanding within
our daily practices, we pause and reflect on self, family and community;
reassess how we prioritize daily tasks; and recalculate how we will allocate
the most precious resources: time, effort and attention. After much time, honesty,
care and contemplation, we come to the realization that we wish to focus on
that which brings us health, wellness, fulfillment and joy - we want to do art.
We need to express our thoughts and feelings. We deserve to have our artistic
expressions viewed and valued on our terms. At local, national and global levels.
And on equal footing with contemporary and traditional art producers anywhere
on Earth.
Personal is professional
With much behind-the-scenes preparation, policy and procedural
changes to operational guidelines, History Fort Lauderdale became one of the
first art and culture institutions to re-open after the mandated covid closure
this summer. The 2020 exhibition schedule remained intact and the countdown to
the start of the 2021 art and culture season kick off began. In this new
pandemic era, safety is the utmost concern. The number one priority is to keep
people safe, while continuing to provide public access and enjoyment of history
related art and educational content.
Once we knew that both the will and the ability to move
forward with an exhibition existed, our next task was to check in with each
artist in order to gauge their interest and ability to take part in a hybrid
physical and online exhibition. It was evident that each and every artist had
experienced momentous loss, uncertainty and a continual cycle of grief over the
past nine months. In a community where each person is tied by familial and
cultural bonds to one another, each and every loss of life has a devastating
impact. And there have been so many. Kindness and flexibility had to become the
major building blocks of the process. So our next task was to build the
substance of an exhibition in a way that supports the wellbeing of each artist
and their families during this most difficult time in our history. We designed
a collective process focusing on sharing strength, and developed the thematic
and contextual structure in a way that would provide the artists with an
opportunity to present the message of their choosing in this public space. We
had many conversations using a variety of technological innovations. Eventually
the theme of cycles, circularity, solidarity and resilience emerged along with
a title: Circle of Unity. This type of collaborative process is not for the
feint of heart and requires much dedication, patience, faith and trust. But the
product is an exhibition that each and every participating artist can be proud
of because we created it together.
Substance matters
This year the group decided to expand the Seminole
specific theme we had engaged for the past three years, to include an
invitation to Miccosukee artists. The 2020 exhibition, includes 100 pieces by
over 20 Seminole artists. There is beadwork, sculpture in ceramic metal and
wood, patchwork, baskets, digital art, photography, pen and ink, mixed media
and painting. You can see works by Leroy Osceola, Tia Blais-Billie, Brian
Zepeda, Jimmy Osceola, Jacqueline Osceola, Jessica Osceola, Josephine Motlow
North, Erica Deitz, Ruby Deitz, Donna Frank, Jacob Osceola, Daniel Tommie, Danielle
Nelson, Corinne Zepeda, “Oshaana Baby,” and many others including Iretta Tiger
who will be cohosting a collaboration with Broward Library’s Big Read program
along with Dante Blais-Billie on January 16th. The program will include a
virtual art making workshop that weaves together elements of the “Circle of
Unity” Exhibition alongside the literary sustenance provided in US Poet
Laureate Joy Harjo’s “An American Sunrise.” Watch for a registration link in
the coming days at HistoryFortLauderdale.org.
You can catch a replay of the digital opening at https://www.youtube.com/user/FTLhistory/videos. Or
mask up and come visit in person. History Fort Lauderdale is open daily from 10
– 3 with tours of the three museum campus at 1, 2 and 3 for a cost of $15 per
person (senior, student and child discounts available.)
We are greatly honored to work together to produce this
international exhibition of contemporary indigenous art for our community and
the world.
Tara
Chadwick
November
29, 2020
History Fort Lauderdale, The Historic Heart of Downtown
219 SW 2nd Avenue, Fort Lauerdale, FL 33301
Open daily from 10 to 3:30 with guided tours at 1, 2 and
3 pm
HistoryFortLauderdale.org
Two of the works on view at the Circle of Unity
Exhibition at History Fort Lauderdale are shown in this image.
“Final Frontier” contemporary bandolier bag by Brian Zepeda, from the collection of Gordon Oliver Wareham and Untitled digital art by Ruby Deitz.
Works on view at the Circle of Unity Exhibition at
History Fort Lauderdale include various forms of contemporary art expression by
Seminole and Miccosukee artists. Pictured here we see wood work by Jacob
Osceola, beaded mask and earrings by Corinne Zepeda, “Seminole Woman” ceramic
by Jessica Osceola, hand forged silver coin necklaces by Leroy Osceola,
sweetgrass baskets by Donna Frank and Seminole Woman dolls by Judy Baker from
the collection of Donna Frank.
