Portland State oddities: SMSU art installment

Portland State students may have noticed strange quotes that have been appearing on walls, windows, floors and other less discreet locations of the Smith Memorial Student Union since the first week of January.

As of late, speculation among students and staff has risen regarding the origin and purpose of these sayings.

Scripted in black, white and gray, these quotations are original thoughts and phrases that have been passed down by friends and family of Portland State students and community members for generations, according to Stephen Hayes, a local artist.

The phrases are part of an exhibit called the Henna Project, a new public art installation from Hayes and a host of others.

But why place quotes all over the SMSU in odd places like handrails and staircases?

“We wanted observers to be aware of the location and to direct their experience a little bit,” Hayes said. “Nothing is hidden, but some are more subtle.”

Hayes also said that the success of the quotes correlates to their placement, so while some can be taken humorlessly, others are more poignant in context.

The idea was to surprise students and staff on their return from the holiday break, said Hayes, who is working on the project with his wife, dance choreographer Linda Johnson, and PSU art student Sandy Sampson and others.

Sampson applied to the internship not knowing what the project would entail, but assumed it would be thoughtful and compelling, as she was familiar with both Hayes’ and Johnson’s work.

“I love the idea that these personal moments of reflection can interrupt a busy day within a huge institution,” Samson said. “I think it’s magic.”

Because the project is only temporary, the project uses the metaphor of henna, a ceremonial and decorative tattoo technique used in many cultures to celebrate significant moments in a person’s life. The art project is one of nine others that will continue throughout this year, until June 2010, according to a handout detailing the project.

The project, the first professional artistic collaboration between Hayes and Johnson, began when they were commissioned on behalf of the Oregon Percent for Art Program, and at PSU’s request, to create an interactive project to be displayed in the SMSU.

The couple was invited to submit an idea for the project last spring, and received commissions early in the summer of 2008, Hayes said. A selection committee chose the SMSU to endorse a public art program that was both reflective and inclusive of the students and atmosphere of the building, according to a press release from the Oregon Art Commission.

Inspired by the importance of orally passing life lessons from one generation to the next, and the sharing of cross-cultural stories and experiences, Hayes and Johnson took time to speak with Portland State students from a wide spectrum of cultural backgrounds and ethnicities.

Johnson said that they “found the diversity here amazing and very interesting.”

Concentrating their idea on “the potential similarities and differences of these words across divergent cultural traditions and ethnicities,” Hayes, Johnson and Sampson looked to students who frequent the SMSU for participation.

The artists asked students to write down “well-worn sayings, personal words of advice or perspective given by a loved one, mentor or friend that have helped shape how you make your way in this world.” The artists encouraged students to share their words of wisdom in their native language, which would not be edited but translated into English.

Because of the diverse nature of the project, there are quotes in Arabic, Farsi, English, German, Nepali, Spanish, Russian and other languages. The artists decided to leave the quotes anonymous, or simply “mentor to mentee,” or “mother to daughter,” in order to promote a more universal and relatable experience, Hayes said.

“They’re great,” said Joan Jagodnik, an academic advisor. “It’s nice to see them, especially the ones in the stairwell. I’ve noticed that the theme is passing down things from generation to generation. It’s nice to keep that connection.”

Aside from students, other members of the Portland community, including an astrologer, a retired art historian and a psychiatrist, were also extended the invitation to participate in the project, according to Hayes.

The coordinators of the project especially liked the idea of placing the quotes in less obvious locations, Johnson said.

She also said she hopes people will read a quote and have what she calls an “aha moment,” when someone stumbles into an epiphany after experiencing something read or seen.

“I love that it is an invitation to be surprised and discover something you are not expecting,” Johnson said.
Interested students can visit the project’s Web site at thehennaproject.com when it launches Jan. 20, she said.