The Art of Connection
Human beings are social creatures. We are meant to connect with, support, and learn from one another. Each person we interact with has something to teach us about ourselves or our lives. The most important of these lessons are those that stay with us and shape who we become.
Last Meal v.2 with Pillar of Sunday
Justin A Carney's Last Meal v.2 depicts a man and a woman preparing a plate of food for their younger brother at a family cookout. The trio, Carney’s aunt and uncles, are fading slowly into the background of the image, referencing moments of connection, care, and love that even if forgotten, will never fade completely. The artist’s memories of backyards full of tables, chairs, games, dancing, laughter between family members, and stories being shared will live on with him forever. There may be a last meal, dance, or moment of laughter between family members, but that is not the end. The preparation of a meal depicted here is a metaphor about what is passed on through family history that ties the past to the present.
This work of art is hung at Indiana University Health Bloomington Hospital at the Regional Academic Health Center for hospital staff to enjoy. We recommend you pause in front of David Smith’s Pillar of Sunday to reflect on both works of art. Pillar of Sunday refers to the artist’s recollections of the Sunday rituals of his youth, such as preparing a chicken for a festive dinner.
Artist(s):
Justin A. Carney
Title:
Last Meal v.2
Date:
2022
Medium(s):
Archival Pigment Print
Dimensions:
36 x 46 in.
Who are the important people that have helped shape who you are in this moment? How do the lessons you have learned from them live on? What memories do you have of these individuals that might fade, but are never forgotten? If you were to create your own work of art celebrating one of these memories, what form would it take? Would it be a sculpture, a photograph, or something entirely different?
Three Spheres (Family Grouping)
Artist(s):
Barbara Hepworth (English, b.1903)
Title:
Three Spheres (Family Grouping)
Date:
1972
Medium(s):
Marble
Dimensions:
Overall: 16 5/16 x 18 3/4 x 29 1/8 in. (41.4 x 47.6 x 74 cm)
Accession Number:
75.12
Credit Line:
Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University
Barbara Hepworth used geometric forms in her sculpture Three Spheres (Family Group) to explore relationships between human beings and the relationship of human beings to the landscape. Think of the memories and people you connected with at the previous stop. Which ones would you identify as chosen family? Chosen family members are those who care about us and support us, but who may not be our blood related family. Create your most treasured group of people out of circles and other geometric forms. Use a pencil to sketch in the gallery or use whatever materials you have at home. Think about which shapes represent different members of your chosen family. Does someone have rounded edges or more jagged ones? Would certain shapes be closer to each other than others? Where would you be in your creation? This sculpture is a defining moment in your life. What events would be represented? Think about the placement of these events. Did a specific moment make you feel more grounded in who you are? Maybe that moment lives in one of the pieces near your feet.
Elevation
Artist(s):
Felrath Hines (American, b. 1913)
Title:
Elevation
Date:
1986
Medium(s):
Oil on canvas
Dimensions:
Support: 40 x 48 in. (101.6 x 121.9 cm) Framed: 40 7/16 × 48 1/8 × 1 3/4 in. (102.7 × 122.2 × 4.4 cm)
Accession Number:
2009.27
Credit Line:
Gift of the wife of the artist, Eskenazi Museum of Art
Just as the memories of others and the lessons learned from them live on inside us, we make impressions on the world around us. These impressions, or marks, will live on in the lives of others. Examine a few abstract works of art in this gallery. Pay close attention to how the artists made marks on their painted surface. Do the marks look bold or soft? Which colors are they? Do you have any association to the colors used? Think about the type of mark you want to leave on the world. What do you want to be remembered for? If you made your own work of art to reflect those things, what types of marks would you use?
Suggested Pathways
Mindfulness
The series of audio entries on this pathway focus on the practice of mindfulness. Mindfulness is a way of observing and accepting the present moment. It can be especially effective when used while experiencing works of art.
Pairing Art and Music
Combine sight and sound for a unique imaginative experience.
Life and Legend: Storytelling and Greek Pottery
Explore Greek pottery with IU students.
