Radcliffe Moment
“A sounding line, or lead line, is a length of rope with a weight, or plummet, attached to one end. This apparatus is an ancient tool, still in use today, that measures the depth of water. Here, the words ‘lead line’ and ‘plummet’ suggest a creative journey into uncharted depths of intellectual discovery.”
For Lead, Line, and Plummet, the first exhibition of the 2018–2019 academic year in the Johnson-Kulukundis Family Gallery, this year’s fellows were asked to contribute objects that represent, inspire, or result from their work. Thirty-eight fellows chose to participate—the largest number yet for a fellows’ group exhibition.
And what a truly eclectic variety of objects they contributed: a 1960s-era irrigation system once operated by Lucas Bessire’s great-grandfather; an interactive collection of pebbles and leaves housed in an aquarium contributed by Josh Levine; a T-shirt commemorating the American Coaster Enthusiasts, who enthralled EJ Hill as a child; colorful paper bags bought by Dana Sajdi inthe papermakers’ market in the old city of Damascus.
These items and many more illustrated that inspiration can come from anywhere—and excited us about the potential cross-pollination within this extraordinary class.
