Sacagawea Award 2004
Beth Sahagian-Allsopp
Bronze
"The Articles which floated out were nearly all
caught by the Squaw who was in the rear. This
accident had likely to have cost us dearly; for in
this pirogue were embarked out papers,
instruments, books, medicine, a great proportion
of merchandise. The Indian woman, to whom I
ascribe equal fortitude and resolution with any
person on board at the time of the accident,
caught and preserved most of the sought articles
which, were washed over-board."
-Meriwether Lewis
"I chose to symbolize Sacagawea through both
the boat (as in boat launcher) and the bird (as in
bird woman) two interpretations of
her Lemhi-Shoshone name. Instead of riding on
the prow she rides on the edge where she can see
all around her. The pirogue like vessel is a
Cornucopia spilling its contents. The boat is a
metaphor for the womb, the cradle, the feminine
vessel of transformation and the protector on the
sea of life."
-Beth Sahagian-Allsop
After
taking the time to look at all of the artwork, I spent twenty minutes
concentrating on the 2004 Award by artist Beth Sahagian-Allsop. At first I
studied all of the shapes spilling out of the canoe. There was a shell, an
animal’s jaw bone, a cluster of berries, a maple leaf, a turtle, a looking
glass or telescope, a star, a crescent moon, an open book, and a bottle among
others that I could not distinguish. I realized the lines in the water and the
winding rope were highlighting a path for my eye to following and giving the piece
movement. Some of the objects were consistent with materials that could have
accompanied Sacagawea, Lewis, and Clark on their journey. Others could have been things they saw in nature
during their travels. The sculpture was made of bronze and was unified by brown
tones throughout. I wondered what process the artist used to make the sculpture
and how tedious the method must have been.
Then
I looked at the work from the Left side and noticed how exquisitely beautiful
it was from this angle. I wondered if it was consistent with the golden ratio. I
thought about measuring and gridding the sculpture to apply the rule of thirds
but soon realize that it was not flat work and that would be difficult and inaccurate.
I did not know the formula to make a calculation therefore I quickly gave up on
deciding if the golden ratio was used in the sculpture’s construction. I assume
it was because of the position of the bird and the aesthetic appeal. This side
was simpler than the front with just one bird as the focal point. The bird was
perched on the edge of the canoe and had a wave splashing against it just
below. The vertical lines of the wave and the diagonal lines of the canoe gave
the work balance and a dynamic flow. After taking the time to describe the work in my mind, it
began to wander to a thought of where I was. Not just were I was physically, spending
an hour of my Friday afternoon on the second floor of a beautiful Rotunda, but
where I was in life.
Before I came to
look at the Sacagawea Art Collection at Alverno’s Galleria I spent the morning
assisting people who had been victims of disasters through the American Red
Cross. A women there was telling me about what she has learned through her years
of volunteering with the Red Cross. She told me a story of an interview with a
couple and their little son who recently lost everything they owned in a house
fire. The father was upset because he had just bought a $200 pair of sneakers.
That and other experiences made her realize just how much value people place in
expensive material possessions instead of focusing on their primary needs being
met. She mentioned that a lot of people use the money given for disaster relief
to purchase items that in no way benefit their current needs or future recovery. Standing in the
empty second floor of the Sister Joel Read Center, I realized that many people do not have the time to
contemplate art or the resources or opportunity to spend time pursuing a higher
education. They instead need to focus on solving the problems of poverty and
recovering from hardships. Leaving the campus I was filled with a sense of
gratitude.
