re(center)ed

Over the past few years, the people of Minnesota, and the city of Minneapolis in particular, have been at the center of the social change that has swept across the country and around the world. 

Covid has also cut a tragic path through the state of Minnesota.  

Many people did not have the opportunity to properly mourn the passing of a loved one or even to say "Good Bye". 

The unresolved pain and sadness of the past few years continues to cause problems as the people of the city and state begin to rebuild their lives and create a new, better future, for everyone. 

re(center)ed is intended to be a safe space where guests are encouraged to share their own story as the community starts to collectively heal and rid themselves of grief and negative energy. 

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re(center)ed 

re(center)ed is a project with two main parts. 

Part one of the project is a 42' long serpentine wall structure. 

The undulating design of the wall creates bays of isolation, which allow guests a place for quiet thought and reflection. A ribbon of silver steel, visually, pulls together the hundreds of wooden contemplation placards that hang on the walls of the structure. The wooden placards allow guests to record their own individual stories of grief and sorrow. 

Part two of the project is a release pyre.  

The contemplation placards, containing the collective and individual grief of the guests and the community, will be removed from the wall and destroyed by flame in the pyre.  

The upward drifting smoke, produced as the fire consumes the placards, will release the burden of grief and sorrow as the guests and the community become re(center)ed. 

About the Artist

Jayson Randall is an award-winning experimental artist who currently resides in Minnesota.  

Awards include the Director's Award at the WHAM West Gallery in Surprise, Arizona, the Best in Show Award at the Re-Purpose Competition in Clear Lake, Iowa, and the Special Recognition Award at the 2020 Tenth Anniversary Exhibition at the Light Space Time Gallery in Palm Springs, California.  

Jayson designs and builds complex works of art that fuse technology with illusion. Whether creating interactive sculptures, producing innovative films or attempting a novel method of painting, his work bridges the gap between art and science.

Happening alongside: 2023 Art Shanty Projects