Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art, Johnson County Community College McCaffree Gallery, Second Floor
Through rain there’s a spiritual and cultural downpour that floods the gallery with objects that represent sacred ceremonial practices. These works express feelings of loss, progress, hope, and love, and highlight stories of resilience. It is about the trying to recover the truth buried in the past, while simultaneously putting to rest prior memories and traumas. Here, legacy is woven into the fabric of the work through materials like ballpoint pen, silver, tin Milagros, and stained glass — items that hold divine and transformative power, and the ability to recontextualize one’s destiny.
Reach Through Walls (excerpt)
Old fate on repeat,
Like passing trains.
Stuck in a loop
A circle of blame.
I hope I’m healing.
I tell myself,
As the tears form
And begin to rain.
I hope these sacrifices are
worth the gain.
I reach out to the ancestors
To voice my shame
Knowing they may be able to help,
But they’re too far away.
So, I turn to the images
That flow through my veins.
The ones that may help
me explain
Why this shadow,
This reflection
is one and the same.
Mira, open your eyes,
I hear you say.
I believe you can move
through walls
Try to break the chain.
– Andrew Mcilvaine
