Throughout our lives, we are presented with markers that indicate our place in time.
With each new gray hair that appears on my head, I am reminded of my diminishing presence within my time.
With each street tree once lush with green but now drought-stricken and dying, I am moved beyond the trappings of the past to a present where the harsh realities of our climate in the world are evident everywhere.
And sometimes, when listening to art like in the song "Children and Art" from Steven Sondheim's Sunday In The Park With George, a musical exploration of the creative process, the reminder that our human and creative offspring have the power to carry messages of hope into the future long after we have departed haunts me.
The markers of our time are everywhere if we will just look around and remain present.
On this past Saturday, Maya Lin returned to Grand Rapids nearly 10 years after Ecliptic's completion to speak on the topic of "Projects and Processes."
As we sat together prior to the event, Lin, the artist behind the renowned Vietnam Veterans' Memorial reiterated that she is "finished with monumental works," adding there will be one last memorial.
This final piece, "
What Is Missing?" was quietly launched on Earth Day 2010, but will be fully presented on Earth Day 2011 as a world-wide project. "What Is Missing?" debuts as a piece that asks that we as a people be present for the future.
The piece was eluded as rough idea in Lin's 2000 book, Boundaries but took nearly 10 years to flush out a solid work plan on what she wanted this last memorial work to look like.
"What Is Missing?" is truly monumental in every way.
The slideshow presented for "What Is Missing" thoughtfully showcased the somber state of our world as we stand on the brink of the 6th extinction, where everything and everyone appears as a potential target in the crosshairs of this history-making event already underway around us.
A portion of this design is the "Map of Memory," an interactive web-based piece that calls on all of us to be observers, and yet also creators, of the piece by contributing to the project. As an artist, Lin sees that we are in this together as one.
One key item of her last monument is the Listening Cone, upon which she will hang her hopes and dreams for the future encased in a sleek, horn-like structure where the individual is placed in the position to receive a message in an artfully rendered fashion that blocks out all other distractions while focusing on the message of the piece.
Creating a space for one to reflect but also interact with the earth is a huge part of her works, from Ecliptic in Grand Rapids to her rapturous, rolling wave piece at Storm King in New York.
The Grand Rapids Art Museum deserves much praise, along with their sponsor Herman Miller, for bringing this visionary voice back to our region for such an inspiring talk.
After the lecture, the shy artist simply disappeared into the evening as crowds gathered around Rosa Parks Circle to enjoy a concert.
Feeling inspired, I made a fast pitch to one of the representatives of Herman Miller to consider purchasing one of these Listening Cones for West Michigan, since it is a piece that is in harmony with the practices we are making as a community in many circles, from building to governmental policies.
I feel the Listening Cone helps complete the cycle of all that we do by bringing the public into the dialogue.
The cone would be a wonderful addition to our city's commitment to creating and showcasing innovation, but also for placing words into inspired action.
Artists like Maya Lin look around and respond to our time. Sometimes we get lucky as artists and we actually can connect with a larger meaning that is universally felt. It is my wish and my heartfelt hope that we will be a part of Lin's next project in a significant way.
Maya Lin's work has always played counterpoint to other works of art currently produced in our world and is why even as she grows in greater stature within art history with each new installation, she has resisted the trappings of this station.
Rather, Lin focuses on the bigger picture beyond international acclaim, always being mindful that her artistic vision is far more important than the short-term gains of art celebrity. In short, she is present in the moment in all that she creates, and she gets us.
Lin is a rare individual who is constantly seeking the marriage of what is pure with the artwork she creates.
With our assistance, her greatest monument could be the one that we create together.
How about it West Michigan? Maya, Me and You -- together creatively marking our time as we author the future.
The Future Needs All of Us (all. of. us.)
Tommy Allen, Lifestyle Editor
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TommyGSyncClick here to continue to this week's G-Sync events.Backstage snapshot photo of Maya Lin and Tommy provided by the GRAM
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