Jensen Kugler ’27
On Tuesday, Sept. 10, The College of Wooster Art Museum hosted Claudia Esslinger for an artist talk on her exhibition, “Passages: Tales of the Snow Migrant.” The exhibit, which is now on view in the Burton D. Morgan Gallery, addresses questions of climate change, migration and storytelling.
The artist talk had a reception catered by local co-op Local Roots. This choice by the Museum both supported a small business and aligned the event with sustainability, as the menu boasted plant-based selections.
After gathering in the lobby for the reception, community members interested in the artist talk headed upstairs for the presentation. Esslinger’s presentation featured a moving water image accompanied by a water soundscape that played throughout the talk. She emphasized the importance of storytelling and encouraged listeners to let their minds wander.
The installation in the Morgan Gallery serves as the third iteration of Esslinger’s project. The project was previously realized as both a short film and a choreographed dance. According to Esslinger, the project was inspired by two trips she took: one to Chile and the other to Italy. In Chile, she worked alongside climatologists and ecologists who went on expeditions from the country’s southern coast to Antarctica. In Italy, she served as director of the Kenyon Rome program and lived in Rome for three months.
“[The trips] challenged my empathy and my actions,” said Esslinger. These journeys prompted many revelations for the artist as she was made aware of ecological damage in Antarctica and, following her Italy trip, the difficult journeys of migrants in Europe.
During her presentation, Esslinger showed two short films. The first was titled “distant tracings” and showed her granddaughter running along a beach while her path was traced by a red line. Creating “distant tracings” sparked an interest in migration for Esslinger, a sense that “someone is always moving.”
According to Esslinger, the narrative of the second film, “the (snow) migrant,” was unplanned and improvised. Its creation was a symbiotic process between actor, editor and earth. “It is a journey of juxtapositions,” said Esslinger. “The truth comes because of a juxtaposition.” In “the (snow) migrant,” snow is a stand-in for both land and water. The film shows a woman in a canoe on a journey. She is in the snow, but outside of that, the location is unclear. This makes it possible for the viewer to imagine that the journey takes place somewhere meaningful for them.
Esslinger’s artist talk was reminiscent of a poetry reading. She spoke in rhyme, rhythm and metaphor. For instance, this is the line she left the audience with at the end of her presentation: “family and friends, me and you.” An association with poetry was clearly intentional for Esslinger, as she herself likened editing films to both choreography and the creation of a “visual poem.”
Balinda Craig-Quijada, who choreographed the performance iteration of “Passages” and plays the woman in “the (snow) migrant,” was present at the event and gave some insight into the project’s process. The artists asked themselves and each other many questions while in the process of creating, like “what are topographical lines in movement?” and “what do glaciers melting sound like?”
The installation itself represents a culmination of work over many years, versions and artists. Two other players in the exhibit are Charlotte Malin and Balinda Craig-Quijada, music composer and performer, respectively. To that end, Esslinger’s work intends to make a personal connection with the viewer and prompt them to more deeply consider their relationality to the natural world.
Visitors to the exhibit enter what Esslinger’s artist statement calls a “dreamlike narrative of a character navigating a frozen but melting world.” An integral piece to this, of course, is the projection of “the (snow) migrant” film. The surrounding room features sculptural pieces depicting the bones of boats and an animated life preserver moving along the walls and floors. Soft ambiance plays in the darkness of the room as projected water flows back and forth against the ground. “Passages” is an art exhibition, but it is also an experience. Written description can only do so much to encapsulate it; the intention is truly for everyone to step into this world themselves and watch ocean waves roll over their shoes. Viewers are a part of the narrative, and a part that matters. There is a quiet strength in the understanding that each person is a citizen of a larger world.
“Passages: Tales of the Snow Migrant” is on view in the Morgan Gallery of the Wooster Art Museum until December 6. The Morgan Gallery is open 11-7 pm on Tuesdays, 11-4 pm on Wednesday-Fridays, and 1-4 pm on Saturdays.