FoundSpace 2020: A Very Shaky Translation
Jenny Dowd
I have been excited to share this project, but my excitement was delayed by a series of unfortunate events.
Earlier this summer, Matt Daly and I were invited by the JH Land Trust and JH Public Art to create a FoundSpace experience along the Wildflower Trail in Jackson. We have collaborated on projects for FoundSpace in the past (read about them here: 2019 & 2018 & 2017) and were excited to engage this popular hiking trail in town. FoundSpace is a yearly program that commissions artists to interpret conservation spaces, and I have enjoyed adding a different view to these places.
Matt and I decided to create a story about the inhabitants of this area, the story would be illustrated with words on one side and images on the other, each from the perspective of the being - animal, plant, or other. The physical inspiration came from the aspens along the trail, how their leaves shake and flutter in the wind. We also felt that we were interpreting what these creatures would be saying, so the translation might be a bit shaky.
I collected old signs to repurpose and Matt wrote poems about 12 different creatures or objects that can be found in this area. I then told the story through images, trying to keep it simple.
I hate to pick a favorite, but I think that the Shaky Translation of the aspens might be my favorite. It makes me laugh every time. I tried to reflect the conversation between aspens in my drawing through dots around the roots. They are a fascinating organism and I imagine a little gossipy, as reflected in Matt’s poem: You won’t believe what I heard. You won’t believe what I heard. You won’t believe what I heard…
Some of the Shaky Translations are in English, some in Spanish, and some a mix of the two. We hoped that the image could tell some of the story, and that maybe it was just fine to only get part of the Shaky Translation if you only speak one of those languages (like me.)
Cicada
All that time
under the ground
and now this.
This! What’s not
to buzz & buzz about!
Cloud
The way to go is by and large __________
pretty easy __________ just find
your rhythm __________ your habits
of change and drift along __________
It’ll get tough don’t worry don’t worry
__________ when you hit or the air
you’re riding hits something hard, like
__________ __________ a mountain
First Frost
Let’s wait. We wait.
For so long we let
the soft leaves speak softly
to the soft leaves,
the soft petals to the soft
wings. But now let’s come in
and make all the voices
crackle and also crackle.
Osprey
There it is There It
Is Hover And
Now Now Nownownow
Feet First Through
Water And Into
Longhorn Beetle
Whoa! How
do I stop?
I guess I’m headed
straight for that
that, so that’s what
I’ll hit and hope
I can cling
to that thing
I can’t help but
whoa hit.
And that’s it. Just over a week ago we found that 9 out of 12 Shaky Translations were removed from the trail. I don’t even have images of all of them. The day we found them missing was the day I was planned to photograph the work. I completely realize that I should have photographed them as soon as they were installed. But, really?? This temporary art was supposed to be in place until October 30.
The theft really hurt. I like to think that I’m prepared for anything to happen to my art and that I have no control once it leaves my studio. But I wasn’t prepared.
Check out the article in the JH News & Guide about the project, here, it is a wonderful story about our inspiration and process.
And we would like to invite you to make your own Shaky Translation. The image in the video is of Arrowleaf Balsamroot (which I call Field Daisies) the poem and image was inspired by the crab spider which likes to sun itself on the flower. (Painting by me, words by Matt Daly, and music by Frank Daly.)
Hey there little spider with your
outstretched little arms. I can’t do much
to hold you like you look like you want
to be held. I can however hold the sun
so firmly to the leaf you climb
to warm yourself that the face
of the sun becomes many faces, becomes
my many faces like arms to warm you
Did you see and happen to photograph any of the others? I would seriously appreciate any photos for my records, please email them to hello@dowdhousestudios.com
Here are the rest of Matt’s poems, without images of the Shaky Translations:
Moose
Mama? Yes. Mama? Yes.
Mama? Come here. Mama? Yes.
Mama? I’m here. I see you. I’m here
Mama? I’m going. Mama? Follow.
Mama? Lie down. Lie down? Here.
Here? Here. Mama? Here.
Cutthroat Trout
Eddy to riffle and upstream to the cutbank
shimmer to shadow shadow to shimmer sip the surface
emerging emergers the strange taste of air
all the sharp things that fall from up there
Mountain Lion
Soon enough the snow will fall
and all but prey will go
away. Soon enough, I’ll trade this
quiet slinking (which is only a moving
form of hiding) for another slinking
the kind that tastes like deer.
Kingfisher
Here I come over clear water up to a perch.
There I go down the stream again. I zigzag down-
stream to perch. There I stare into a quiet place in clear
water. Here I cackle and flap but this time back upstream.
Flat Creek
run along along way
to run along
a tumbled
down run of tumbled
along stones
alone and because
you run
along not at all alone