- ROOTED
was a living community art installation designed to actively engage students
and others on the Cornell campus.
- Installation
took place below McGraw Tower from April 17th- May
1st 2014.
- Campus
wide active involvement of over 100 people with an immeasurable impact on thousands of others
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| Marcia Eames-sheavly and Justin |
After weeks of storyboarding, Faculty Adviser
and
Student Artist agreed on the word which would adorn
the
slope in late
April. Weekly meeting allowed for the logistics and collaborations across
campus to emerge.
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| Bulbs arrived in full forces |
13,000 bulbs were selected from A.D.R.Bulbs, Inc. with the expertise of Dr. William Miller. Plants were selected based on height, color, and cooling requirements. In November, two cultivars of Narcissus, three cultivars of Hyacinth and a Chionodox arrived.
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| Bulbs were planted to maximize "Wow Factor" |
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| Student from across discipline learn how to plant flower bulbs |
Several planting
workshops were held,
planting 350,
10-inch pots of flowering bulbs. This was an opportunity to teach Horticulture
to students
across
different academic disciplines. The Horticulture department’s Faculty and Staff
also volunteer their time. Activity was organized and run by Project coordinator.
It had been year since the plant science coolers has been cleaned out. This was an opportunity to explore. So many interesting things had been left behind by both faculty and students. We found a research project from 1968!
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| 350 pots fit perfectly in the freshly cleaned cooler |
In December, bulbs were moved into a cooler for 11 weeks at 37 degree Fahrenheit to allow for vernalization. Bulbs were monitored for root growth and proper development.
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| 350 pots freshly moved into the greenhouses |
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Plants are ready to make their depute
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2 weeks before installation, bulbs were brought to the greenhouse to be forced. Bulbs had emerged while in the cooler and lacked chlorophyll.
Day of installation, flower
buds had
begun to enlarge and open. Plants were watered-in before their moved to the
Slope.
After months of planning, ROOTED came
alive on Libe slope. This living
tribute showcased the ability of nature to foster well-being, while captivating
a community. This project involved over 100
participants that helped to overcome logistical hurdles
that arose
during the
process.
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| On installation day ! |
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| We couldn't have done ROOTED without all of the teamwork |
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| The joy that plants brings was capture during and after installation day |
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| ROOTED in Full "Bloom" with over 53,000 flowers! |
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| Chris Kitchen(Photographer), Justin Kondrat (student artist) and David Cutter (University Architect) |
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Ariel photo from 2,000 feet in the air. High above Cayuga's waters.
Thank you East Hill Flying Club for taking the crew up !
|
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| 7,000 solar lights in Cornell’s Colors |
Check out the speeches from ROOTED's opening
“Like these flowers, we each have
different colors: black, white, brown; Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist; gay
and straight; young and old; rich and poor. And just as this display will be
all the more beautiful from its diversity of colors and shapes, so too will
this place be richer from those of us who dare sink our roots into this soil
that we call Cornell.”- Dr. Marvin Pritts, Horticulture
Department
Chair.
Gannett Health Services had embraced the project as a living example of its message, “Success is rooted in balanced living.” Displays in Olin Library, Mann Library, Gannett Health Services and the Big Red Barn, invited people to share their thoughts about how and where they are rooted at Cornell.
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| Over 200 comment cards where collected in 4 location on campus |
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| Comments in a Word Cloud |
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| Our Queer campus campaign- Vice President of DASH |
“Cornell,
it’s a place where you can find a home and express beauty among people who
study what they love. It’s a place where you can really be inclusive and come
together as a community. As a queer student with a learning disability, I
hope this installation inspires various communities to never give up on
their dreams when times get tough.” –
Justin D. Kondrat
Big Thanks to all that participated !
ROOTED
was a campus partnership between the Department of Horticulture, Gannett Health
Services, and the Cornell Grounds Department. Justin Kondrat, CALS ’14 and
senior lecturer Marcia Eames-Sheavly would like to offer special thanks to:
Bill Miller, Marvin Pritts, Craig Cramer, and all those who helped plant bulbs
in the Department of Horticulture. Also, Gannett Health Services staff
Catherine Thrasher-Carroll and Jennifer Austin; Kevin McGraw and David Cutter;
David St. George with East Hill Flying Club; Dean Boor, CALS; and members of
Haven: LGBTQ Student Union and the Greek community who
assisted in planting, and transporting, bulbs
