Object Acquisition # 2007-11 Acuity Projector
Object interpreted and Statement by Casey Judy www.caseyjudy.com
"It’s not easy growing old"
My 90-year-old- Grandpa is mentally sharp for his age and has always been an avid reader but he has macular degeneration, which blinds some areas in his eyes’ retinas. These days he can’t read nearly as well and is forbidden to drive at night, both of which diminish his quality of life. Because I’ve been living with him for the last three years to keep him company and help him when I can, I see his degeneration first-hand. And, it’s painful to watch.
Grandpa’s failing eyesight became a source of inspiration for my artwork in the OHSU scavenger hunt project – as did a little serendipity. That is, to decide which artist in this exhibition got what object to work from, we pulled numbers associated with the objects from a basket. I blindly selected the acuity projector by Kenneth Swan, founder of the Casey Eye Institute. This turn-of-the-century machine measures the acuity of a person’s vision, which really hit home for me because of my Grandpa; and it’s a funny twist because my name is Casey.
What I have made for this project is very different from my usual work of bright and vibrant colors. My piece is white representing the light projected from the Acuity Projector. Then I have carved the chart into the plaster, but the numbers and letters shown are significant to my Grandpa’s life. Reading this eye chart I have created, all in white makes it difficult for some to even see at all. This is similar to what my Grandpa sees. The splotches of white paint on top of the plaster represent the splotches in his eyes. The complete work reflects what we all must deal with, if we’re lucky: Growing old.
No comments:
Post a Comment