JESSICA WILLIAMS

Emergence/Emergency (September 26, 2020)

LOCATION

Columbia Walk behind 151 Fairlawn Drive in Berkeley

MATERIALS

Emergency Blankets

CONSIDERATIONS

How do materials and place infuse an artwork with significance?
How do the lines between public and private shift in times of crisis?
How does the reality of crisis impact feelings of community?

ARTIST NOTES

Some of the Berkeley paths are easements through private property and provide routes for emergency egress. The dual meanings of the word “easement” contrast with one another. One one hand the idea connotates a sense of security and privacy. On the other it suggests the need to cross over or otherwise use someone else’s land for a specified purpose.  The emergency blankets provide ease, comfort and warmth in times of crisis while in this installation also creating a screen between the public path and a private home. The piece considers the illusion of self-sufficiency and the importance of community connection.