BEFORE A MIDNIGHT BREAKS IN STORM

54.25” x 12” x 12”

Inspired by Kipling, one of my favorite authors. Kipling's poem addresses his personal anxieties, and his frustration with those in power to acknowledge the threat from Germany and their imperial ambitions. These words resonate strongly with me in today's social and political climate. A foreign threat is not as dire to me as a separate nation, and the separatist mentality from a select few in power. As our nation struggles to move forward towards the future, the punishing knee jerk pushback of oppression towards those who only want safety, protection, and equal rights, is the weakest link in our country today. In the words of Julian Bond, "The humanity of all Americans is diminished when any group is denied rights granted to others."

The antiquated string represents the perception of whitewashed perfection and oppression as it holds down the stone infant's head, directing the plumb bob straight down with no room for innovation or diversity. The pedestal is an wooden porch column from the early 1900's.

The piece is composed of wood, string, concrete, paint, and steel.