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Sunday, August 19, 2018

Easy Lynching ...

     A few days ago I attended a talk given by Presidential inaugural poet Richard Blanco and contemporary landscape photographer Jacob Bond Hessler discussing their collaborative exhibition, “Boundaries,” which is on view at #OMAA the Ogunquit Museum of American Art through October 31, 2018.

    We made our way to Ogunquit in such a dangerous downpour that made the normally beautiful drive downright scary. I took off my shoes to wade though the pop-up rivulets in my bare feet, and shook off inside like a wet dog.  

   wet dog. 
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     As I tried to see and read the exhibit in the crowded gallery the skies cleared. I saw Richard Blanco step outside to have a smoke wondering if that habit contributes to his deep and resonant reading voice. He soon took his seat with his exhibition partner in front of a glass wall that overlooks the Atlantic. Throughout the talk a rainbow dazzled high over the sea, but he held my attention more than that rare sight.

     Both men explore the idea of what boundaries are and many of the results have historical significance. Of the photo / poem pairings in the exhibit / book I was most moved by Easy Lynching on Herndon Ave. Here is a photo of the photo.


              Look hard and deep and long at it....
1333458_523205-EASY-LYNCHING-ON-HER.jpg (1200×801)


     And here is the link to the poem and Blanco discussing it. 

    https://www.wgbh.org/news/2018/01/16/local-news/poet-richard-blanco-grapples-hidden-racism-america






      I couldn't resist buying his children's book (above) and here is a link to the art book which I had to resist buying at $350.

https://www.twopondspress.com/boundaries





July 2018

 
      I had a truly wonderful time teaching a STEAM summer camp at my elementary school. I called it Learning Like Leonardo. Here are a few pics:

Vitruvian girls!



We made paint from natural substances and learned all about the Mona Lisa.




          Created (and munched on) our own
polyhedra.