ART & TRAVEL

Project Aims to Connect People through Art

By Audrey McDaniel ’24 Staff Writer

Everybody has the ability to create art. Sid Macphee, a senior at Miss Porter’s School wants to encourage this message by giving individuals the opportunity to explore their artistic endeavors and share it among the Porter’s community. Their art installation, Porter’s Art Exchange Box (PAX Box), strives to connect the community by recognizing everyone’s artistic abilities and allowing them to share them with others.

Throughout their time at Porter’s, Sid has been able to use art as a way to express themselves and to visualize their emotions and experiences. The restrictions of the pandemic fueled their craving to connect with others through art, a goal they have been able to achieve throughout the years. They were able to take art classes, participate in the art club, and take art enrichment as an afternoon activity.

Before they venture off to college, Sid wanted to give back to the community and leave the message that influenced their time at Porter’s: Art is necessary for human connection. The PAX Box is meant to motivate the Porter’s community to create art and share it with others. Sid said they were inspired by the Free Little Library on Main Street next to the Firestation, where they always found themselves coming back throughout their time at Porter’s. The PAX Box encourages the cycle of a Free Little Library, to give and take with hopes of inspiring others.

To create an emphasis on community, Sid used the exterior of the box to showcase their idea of what it means to them. One side displays two people holding hands to show how “art connects us.” The backside was made by various handprints of the community to convey the idea that “art is a connector” and necessary in human relationships. The third side provides more background on why Sid chose to create this installation along with directions for its usage.

The installation will feature art pieces created by both students and faculty in the community. Any form of art is welcomed and can range from friendship bracelets to sculptured ceramic pieces and paintings to non-functional pieces.

Sid said they hope the community will gain connection from their PAX Box. During their first two years at Porter’s, Sid craved connection because it was limited due to the pandemic. With this loss, Sid wanted to allow the students and faculty to connect and invoke discussion among one another.

The PAX Box installation is located in the butterfly garden outside the bottom entrance of Olin with the expectation that the box will be available to the community before the start of spring break.

“Though this box is not forced upon the community” as Sid stated, “It is there to encourage everyone to create art for the sake of creating.”

Student Reflects on Memorable Art Center During France Trip

By Elaine Ruan ’25 Staff Writer

Our journey through France over the past 14 days has been truly remarkable. I can still feel the excitement blending with nervousness as we made our way to the Marseille airport, and the reluctance to leave at the end of our trip. It was an incredible and unique experience for us all. One of the most memorable highlights for me was visiting Luma, an art center located in Arles.

After a 20-minute train ride from Avignon to Arles, we stepped into Luma and were immediately struck by the vastness and the huge double slides intertwining together. This art piece created by Carsten Höller silently invites visitors to embark on a journey of both trepidation and exhilaration. All of us eagerly awaited our turn to experience this unique installation. Even though it looked intimidating, my heart raced with nervousness and anticipation as I went down. Though a hint of dizziness hit me at the end, I felt relieved, and it was less daunting than expected.

Other fascinating projects are located in Luma, such as the spiral stairs, iron curtains, and an exhibition combining AI and modern technologies. But Karlijn Sibbel and Atelier Luma created one particularly captivating project, with walls layered with salt. Stretching across the walls of the lift lobbies, this piece consisted of thousands of layered salt panels. As our guide introduced us to the sustainability of the salt wall, which is to keep the building cool and to minimize the possibility of fire, I found myself drawn closer to the wall. I remember feeling a sensation both prickly and exhilarating as my palm grazed the textured surface. Each salt crystal shimmered in the gentle glow of the light, I was still shocked by the creativity and the astonishment it gave me.

Reflecting on the experiences, the blend of innovation and art in Luma will continue to inspire me long after the trip. Visiting Luma not only expanded my appreciation of different art forms but also recognize how art can be boundlessly intertwined with technology and sustainability. Art isn’t limited to certain ways, instead, we should continue to explore new perspectives of art, pushing the boundaries of traditional art.