This piece is based on the recollections, both joyous and difficult, of the many migrant and non-migrant workers who came to Seabrook to work in the field and packing plant, specifically the people who were present during the Gallery 50 community dialogue.
Greenwell used the harvest basket as a reference and inspiration. This object looks fragile but carries much weight and sustains strength through many seasons. The basket serves as a metaphor for containment, fragility, strength, for moving or carrying things from one place to another. The intent was to create a basket figure to pay homage to the legacy of hard work, struggles, joys and successes of farm workers, both migrant and non-migrant from the past and the present. The glass pieces were made at Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center during a week-long residency Greenwell was chosen for this past July. She added the glass “wood slats” not only for the transparent nature but because it adds visual and emotional impact to the piece, serving as a metaphor for both strength and fragility.
29″x18″x14″
