Messengers For The Living
In Filipino folklore the butterfly is seen as a manifistation of a loved one who has passed away, bringing with them a reminder of their presence, and in most cases, the butterfly represents of transformation, rebirth, and the eternal cycle of life and death. There are many messages shared within our society and it can be difficult to navigate as we face the continuous cycle of change as we go on living. With this project I collect local newsprint, full of information for the community to consume, and fold these articles into a new life with the people in Madison, WI, as a public act of meditation of past and present.
Taught to me by my grandmother, Messengers for the Living, brings together multiple generations of butterflies, that aim to be a reminder of the connections to those around us.
“Attending folding hours for "Messengers for the Living" felt like coming home to dinner with chosen family. New spaces and experiences aren't easy for me—events like art shows and meals with people I don't know often sap my energy and require a long post-event recovery period. This was not the case Tuesday night when I arrived. The craft tables piled with newspapers, the photographs on the wall that brought nature and butterflies together, and the food Miriah had cooked all served to create an unpretentious, homey space where I immediately felt as if I didn't have to perform neurotypicality the way I do in almost all public spaces. Miriah's talent as an artist and a teacher, and her incredible kindness and continuous work to understand others, were all clear in the space, the food, the activity, and the conversations that evening.
I found folding butterflies meditative and restorative. Doing this as a community was a gift. And choosing where to pin the butterflies in the space made me feel like I was actually part of the project, that I had helped create the beauty of the installation.
I stopped by a few days later and was struck by the feeling that the atmosphere was still the same, even as the installation had grown. One truly unique part of this project is that the installation had felt like a complete piece on Tuesday, when I walked in and begun folding; it felt like a complete piece on Tuesday, after I pinned butterflies to the wall; and it felt like a complete piece on Friday, just a day before the project was over. Each day it grew, but it was no less special the day before—it was simply different."
- Carley Gomez
Doctor of Arts, English Language and Literature
The Textile Art Center of Madison
