panel discussion at SPACES
with Sara Black, Amber Ginsburg, Kerri Frangioso and Veronica Dahlberg. Boundaries – Letter writing and direct action on boundaries and immigration.
7000 marks opened at SPACES gallery, Cleveland Ohio on November 17, 2017, and runs through Saturday, January 12, 2018. Several interactive gallery talks and actions are planned during the show’s schedule. On Friday, December 1, artists Sara Black and Amber Ginsburg were joined by UC Davis biologist Kerri Frangioso and immigration activist Veronica Dahlberg in the first panel discussion. The panel continued with talks on the 7000 pencils milled from a Phytophthora ramorum disease infested Tanoak tree, with a unique coupling of the subject of human migration and the current dilemma of the plight of global immigration. The theme, migration, included both the global migration of the pathogen which infected the Tanoak tree and the movement of humans. Veronica Dahlberg gave personal accounts of Northeast Ohio migrant workers being deported back to Mexico, leaving children behind. Biologist Kerri Frangioso shared the science behind plants and pathogens and how diseases are spread via vegetation imports from other countries.
The disease fells oak trees, leaving conspicuous browned openings in the otherwise verdant forest canopies, ratcheting up the risk of wildfire and threatening future oak strands. Ecologists and governmental agencies in California are researching the pathogen and protecting threatened native oak populations from this invasive and aggressive pathogen.
HAF: What was your motivation to submit 7000 marks in SPACES R & D program?
Sara: I am here with Amber Ginsburg, and tonight we are activating the 7000 pencils around the themes of boundaries and migration. We saw that SPACES made a call for projects around the theme of migration at a real critical moment. We are looking at a refugee crisis. We are looking at an immigration crisis and climate change, and the forced migration through that. All of these issues are so relevant. We thought this would be the right inaugural environment for 7000 marks.
HAF: Was the concept of human migration part of your original thesis of 7000 marks.
Sara: Absolutely yes. I would say that human migration is a sub-theme to the primary theme which is us taking up the question of human-made boundaries. One of the ways boundaries are emphasized is when we cross them. Immigration is one part of the movement of beings acrossing boundaries.
The next 7000 Marks panel discussion is Friday, December 15, 2017, at SPACES. This exercise with consist of a panel discussion and speculative drawing session. Join artist Taryn McMahon, a local biologist with artists Sara and Amber in discussions to further activate the 7000 pencils through this guided speculative drawing workshop.
The final session will be held Friday, January 5, 2017, with Creative Writing: Looking to geologic pasts to image future worlds. Join artist and geologic thinker Ryan Dewey, science fiction author Charles Oberndorf with Sara and Amber.
