'One World View' showcases artists' representations of Sept. 11

In anticipation of the first anniversary of Sept. 11, the John Waldron Arts center launched its newest exhibit Friday, Sept. 6, entitled "One World View." The display showcased artistic representations by Indiana residents of the attacks.\n"I think the idea was that (there are) many diverse cultures, religions, ways of looking at things and that still, we're all in this together," said Mary Hambly, director of the Bloomington Area Arts Council, (BAAC) and at the core of the planning for the event.\n"One World View," a juried exhibit, solicited approximately 45 artists to submit their work for consideration with only 21 being chosen for display. Half of the works chosen were created by Bloomington artists. Entries were selected by a jury of two local artists, and they were considered for awards. Cash prizes were awarded for "Best of Show," as well as first, second and third respectively.\n"In Indiana there's a tendency to stick with the tried and true traditional, the safe, the accepted, but the judges awarded those who reached out and who showed courage. And this show is about courage too -- courage to take the risk." said Dixie Ferrer, a native of Nashville who attended the event. \nThe winner for "Best of Show," Susan Sammis, created a work entitled "Numinous Tower," representing the World Trade Centers with four long, thin pieces of white silk hanging down from the ceiling, in an arranged square shape and patterned with rust stains to mimic the fallen buildings. \nLynn Dunn, who volunteered at the event and whose husband is studying at IU, said she liked the first place painting by John Laska. \n"It just hit me the hardest in terms of the reality of grief," she said, "but in talking to the artist he was telling me the personal stories behind some of the people in his painting, and there was definitely a lot of love and good that came after it."\nLaska's painting, entitled "September Apocalypse," contains several squares of mini portraits, one recognizably of Osama Bin Laden, as well as firefighter figures, sketches of mangled bodies in the center, survivors of the tragedy, fire and a skeleton with a sickle. \nIn second place was the sculpture by Michael L. McAuley entitled "Fragility of Hope," formed out of bronze, a machine type animal whose teeth are the only thing reminiscent of human life. The plaque reads "No matter how despairing or sublime-the human spirit is built to prevail."\nRon Stock, the third place award winner, originally entered his painting in Indianapolis' "Bridge to the Arts Paint Out." \n"The judges thought that I had made a mistake with the reflection in the water," he said of this contest. "They didn't realize it was a painting of the Indianapolis skyline with the reflection of the Manhattan skyline in the river."\nStock said he hoped the bright colors he used for all his paintings, though particularly in this piece, would "remind people that even in the worse and darkest day, the spirit of life can be alive in the color around us."\nDunn echoed Stock's sentiments.\n"I thought it was very moving, a good way to get everyone thinking and feeling and expressing themselves in terms of joy and hope and not just being caught up in the sorrow of the occasion," she said.\nThe "One World View" exhibit will be on display at the John Waldron Arts Center, located at 122 S. Walnut St., until Oct. 5. The gallery is open from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays.