Wayfindings Dedication

WAYFINDINGS is a physical manifestation of the visual and text-based responses we received to our prompt: “What makes you feel home, safe, joyous, proud or free?” Each of the contributions is directly connected to the project concept — RELATIONSHIPS.

To time,
To place
To self
and most importantly
To each other.

WAYFINDINGS is what it is, because of WHERE it is. My hope is that when people talk about WAYFINDINGS, conversations are near impossible without mentioning all the Austin-specific parts:

the Ave.
Columbus Park
Town Hall
LaFollette Park
Friends
Neighbors
Grandparents
Parents
Siblings
and Pets …
Athletics
Nature
Architecture
and of course Goats …

Then we can talk about the shapes, forms, graphics and concepts that formally make up the works. Like the portals, 
comprised of 2 contrasting shapes that are interdependent on each other to stand upright. Or the “place-made” patterns, created from over 600 photos collected, on a beautiful day about a year ago, where 20 youth council members from the B+G Club, alongside area police officers and chaperones, did a photo walk through the neighborhood collecting photo-based responses to the prompt. Or the super graphics, representing the new residents of the JPSTC in the forms of sneaker shoelaces (for the youth), a firehose and honor stripes (for our first responders), that tie it all together. You can see fragments of these icons through-out the project, but most directly, you can see them all come together to create the west wall’s shape. Or the words that directly respond to the prompt. These are on the bollards that connect the sculptures to the west wall.

WAYFINDINGS is what it is, because of the MANY folks who guided and contributed to it. I am grateful for all the help that brought this to life in Chicago, especially the amazing folks at DCASE, led by Commissioner Erin Harkey. I have never felt so supported in my own pursuit of something. Special shout out to Nathan Mason, who was a guide, as wells parter pushing me and the work to its best place. Maryrose Pakavic, who was there every step of the way keeping every one of the essential partners and contributors informed and happily working toward the same goals. Nancy Villafranca for being not just present, but fully involved — beginning, middle and end. And Lydia Ross, my community engagement guide and guru.

On paper, process always looks clear and navigable, but in reality, process is way more human than a flowchart can convey, and she helped ensure we connected, communicated and executed in the most person to person way passible. The ambition of this project would have been impossible to meet without each of these amazing folks clarity and desire to do it right. Also, Alderman Mitts and her leadership committee, Lieutenant Harris, and Officer Brown as well as Root 2 Fruit, and Community Leaders Fellows for their trust, guidance and ability to harness momentum along whole journey of creating. The folks at Boys + Girls Club, specifically the Youth Council, who took the 600 photos on our community photo walk including:

Ebene Anderson 
Tamia Cole-Hammond
Dylan Hawkins
Re'yonna Igess
Kyris Kyles
Amira Murray
Jamari Murray
Michael Reid Jr.
Johnny Reyes
Malachi Smith
TreyShaun Strong
Avion Tart
Jayden Tart
Jametria Taylor 
Aleia Thurman
Saniyah Thurman
Ahyanna Turner
Joshua White

And their staff leadership who who ensured that a deep amount of authenticity and authorship permanently impacted the final design including:

Michael Crowley
Tevin Haynes
Rodolfo De Jesus
Vanessa Buenconsejo
and Kortnee Quizá

All your names, along with all the folks who helped me design, fabricate and install the work, are on the large panel at the west wall. This was a group effort and as such I consider you all authors. It’s a project designed to operate as a positive icon for those walking or driving by, but it’s also a project specifically designed for its campus, to encourage real reflection or even absorption over time. Most importantly a project that hopes to be visited by its many makers with their own grandchildren some day. Where they can point to a fragment of a photo they took on the surface of the work, or point to the time capsule door that holds the process book of all 600 photos took that day.

Shout out also to Jordan Porter-Woodruff, who was my lead photographer for the community photo walk. She set an example for the young people of how that medium can also be a pathway, while also capturing some incredible imagery of her own for the work.

Critical to this project was also my “making” team led by Sean Kizy of Neon Fab. He was the clear and steady captain of the ship, executing technical details with Alex Burney and managing the many other fabrication and installation partners that needed to be precisely coordinated. Speaking of which, Vector Custom Fabricating was my local, second studio, hand assembling hundreds of precisely cut parts that make up the sculptures. Fabhaus in New York developed the structure that holds together and up, the entire west wall. Windsor Fireform, baked our patterns into porcelain enameled steel. And Chicago Fine Arts Solutions, installed all the work in a stealth like manner, navigating the multiple construction crews, the move in of the B+G Club as well as the landscape installation all in the same weeks.

And I would be fully remiss if I didn’t also thank my family. My daughter Lucia Faust, for making me more human and inspiring me to live into my dreams. And my partner Nick Cave, for sharing his energy and way of working with me. It is his example that makes clear all that life can offer when you envision a future for yourself, and actually take the steps needed as they, sometimes directly but most of the time nearly imperceptibly, reveal themselves to you. I can describe it like jumping into a wave and trusting your body to navigate it because of your strength, vision and history. I love you both.