Gladiolus Project

the final installation

The gladiolus, meaning sword in latin, originates from Tropical and Southern Africa. It represents strength, dignity, and honor. Seeing and entering into the stories of the South African people this summer, I was amazed by their tenacity and joy in the midst of brokenness. I wanted to depict the powerful, glorious beauty they possess as a people who have proved themselves as true warriors in all aspects— in their simple daily endurance to their magnificent voices of hope toward each other and the world.

-the process in order-

The arrangement process took several steps. First, I got my edited photographs printed at the Reprographics Office and used a paper cutter to get rid of the white borders around the pictures. Then, I took time to try out different ways of mantling the pieces, looking for connecting points like the line of the color red and the transition from black to white. I decided to have the most red concentrated in the middle and the grays and whites move toward the edges of the arrangement. Using artist's tape, I put up the pictures on the wall.

Then, I painted some of the flower's petals gold as well as painting the artist's tape gold and cutting them up into petal/leaf shapes. After putting up some gladiolus flowers among the photographs, I placed these golden petals underneath, as though they were falling from the flowers and the photographs themselves, all the way onto the ground, where small piles of petals formed.

It was a thrilling process to be able to physically present my passion-filled photographs and share the beauty with others who walked in and out of the exhibition area. Looking at the gladiolus photographs all at once made the message of hope and dignity even more powerful.