Lesli Robertson

Collaborative Project with Let Art Talk, Uganda and the Institute for the Advancement of the Arts, University of North Texas. In collaboration with Fred Mutebi, Rebecca Schaefer and Amanda Batson, we developed a project called Renewing Material: Nurturing Environment. Here is a short description of the project. For more images and stories, please visit the blog, www.barkcloth.blogspot.com

"As explored through the Materials & Meaning exhibition on view at the Center for Creative Connections, materials can be used as a vocabulary to express something about an artist or creator. Each concrete collage in this installation was made by an individual representing one of the Dallas Museum of Art communities; visitors, volunteers and partner organizations from 16 different groups, over 500 people. During each workshop I asked participants to consider how materials can become their vocabulary, allowing their choice of material and composition to tell us something about themselves. I have found my own vocabulary through the use of concrete and textile based media. I was initially drawn to these materials because of their opposition – the textiles are considered fragile and temporary while the concrete suggests permanence and strength. In this installation, I used concrete to suggest the lasting importance of the community relationships and the process of weaving to create a woven record of the individuals who are part of this community. Weaving the collages together allowed me to connect the participants in a new way. My intension is for them see how they are a part of a larger community and how their contribution to it is vital." VIDEO INSTALLATION To document the project, the participants were asked to list their material choices and answer the question – “How do these materials represent you?” The video projected onto the looms is a compilation of selected responses from these records.