Meredith Davis vividly displays a disturbing aspect of our society in her installation titled "Family Values" in the Barrow's Rotunda at the Hopkins Center for the Performing Arts.
Her installation violates our comfort zones by blatantly exposing the horrific side of family life, the domestic and sexual violence that exists in seemingly perfect home settings.
From across the Green, the image of children's laundry hung on clotheslines is captivating. A growing curiosity takes hold on people as they approach the front entrance of the Hopkins Center and notice the writing on the glass panes of the enclosed circular area.
The shirts, which vary in size and style, hang on clotheslines that crisscross each other into many directions. The words that surround the clothes are marriage vows taped on the glass panes.
Everything is white, serene, quiet, yet there is a sense of something out of place from the display. Once inside the Hopkins Center, a rather chilling sight is revealed -- there are white pillowcases and bed-sheets soaked with red 'blood,' as well as scattered down feathers. The red 'blood' spatters have soaked into some of the children's' shirts on the clotheslines.
Clearly, Davis is trying to shock us with a difficult view of reality with her arrangements of the objects and writings within the installation.
Domestic violence is there -- behind clothes doors, behind homes that seem happy and content, behind the superficiality of home-life, there exists a bitter reality, especially for women in abusive relationships.
Her exhibition consistsof children's laundry which exposes the economic plight of women caught in the cycle of domestic abuse.
One becomes aware of the ironic meaning behind the glass panes the more one looks at the installation.
Phrases like 'To love and to cherish,' 'Till death do us part,' and 'To have and to hold,' further emphasizes the critical position that women face.
The red spatters on the children's shirts further emphasizes the continuation of abusive behavior from one generation to the next.
Most people were disturbed by the installation but understood that an important message was made.
Carol Ehlen, a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies student, said "a lot of denial exists and that by opening yourself up is a way of admitting to yourself what is going on around our environment."
The issue of violence is brought out boldly especially as one sees the blood stains on such a pristine setting.
Outside the installation, the artist provides some statistics and information about domestic and sexual violence.
Sid Miller, a visitor from Cleveland asked, "What kind of family values do we have?"
His is the same question that the artist seems to be exploring in her works.
The information alongside the installation reveals something about the artist herself. Her work is a personal reflection of the value system of our society at large: her transitions in dreams, beliefs, and memories are molded into a three dimensional piece of artwork.
