Uncontrolled art installation transcript:
The uncontrollable project is about the messiness of life. The in-between moments that don’t really fit anywhere. When decision fatigue takes over and life isn’t as organized or structured. The ways we spend our lives trying so hard to grab a hold of something, sink our teeth in, or root ourselves. It's the constant striving. The things that don't match or add up. It's the uncomfortable space of not knowing. It's the feels that don’t make sense. It's the prep that you do only to get up there and fumble words or the way you map out your year and then a curveball is thrown.

This project is more about the process than what the piece looks like in the end. It was a personal and community study on finding the beauty in all we can't control…Finding beauty in the unknown and messy places of our thoughts and the world around us. 

This project is about allowing the community to have the freedom to show up in the world however it wants to; both individually and collectively. 

As an abstractionist who enjoys the parts of my practice that are left to the whims of water; this project took me even further out of my comfort zone. Pushed me to think beyond my plan and the materials I’m familiar with. Each individual piece took whatever shape it wanted. I let the art guide me vs the other way around. “Uncontrollable” came from a deep space of needing to release expectation. I wanted the piece to feel as though it has a mind of its own and I wanted it to feel as organic as possible. 

I hope when people experience it in the space they will see something messy yet beautiful. I pray it brings a little relief. And that it says, “Hey you don’t have to have your ducks in a row.” I hope it says, “Hey it's okay, you will catch your footing again. You can have hope in something.” Because hope is a much lighter load to carry.

Uncontrolled

YOU CAN'T GENTRIFY BLACK JOY

WORKING OVER TIME

Erin Richardson