By Jason Cunningham
Artists Joy Wulke and Jerry Butler talked to a small audience prior to the Oct. 21 opening reception of their duel exhibitions Izzy the Frog in Lumina Land and Izzy the Frog in the Park River Watershed at CCSU’s Chen Fine Arts Center.
During the presentations, which spanned from 3-4 p.m., the two went through their respective experiences as artists and discussed the results of their walk with Izzy the Frog during their projects’ developmental periods.
The exhibits show that environmental sustainability is key to saving Izzy, a representative for all of the world’s frogs, and Wulke and Butler both believe that artistic expression is not only illuminating to the cause, but a direct stepping stone towards solutions for saving the one out of every three species of frog across the world threatened with extinction.
“I’ve always been interested in, um, how the environment impacts the emotions and sensibility of a person,” said Wulke.
Reflective ponds, mirror pyramids, skewed movie projections, bubbling water tanks, large hand drawn depictions of the metamorphic cycle from tadpole to frog, origami frogs, whitewashed walls and suspended branches are all put in place to tantalize the senses. The music that filled the space was produced by composer and original Izzy inventor Istvan Peter B’Racz.
“Izzy is, um, mentioned as a mythical character of, of a frog and Izzy is always discovering new things about, um, background, cultures, how Izzy is seen by others and interpreted by others and also how Izzy lives within the environment that’s required for Izzy’s [sustainability],” said Wulke.
Wulke’s installation tells the story of how our relationship with frogs evolved over time. Through many multicultural myths the frog acted as not only a symbol of transformation, but also as a warning of ecological breakdown.
“I like the facts, the information is appealing and the drawings make you think about it. The pictures go along with everything, making it very easy to follow,” said Lauren Brady, a senior communication major.
Butler, who teaches art education at CCSU, managed 150 local middle school students from the Naylor School who collectively painted a mural depicting Izzy and the frogs of the Park River Watershed. The Park River Watershed is water drainage basin that most of New Britain, including CCSU, is a part of.
“I feel very informed. I now know a lot about the watershed and how watching the frogs will show signs of the ecology and the quality of our own water and how it effects us, and our drinking and our future,” said Christina Aguilera, a senior psychology major.
Butler grew up on a farm and always had to pay attention to remaining sustainable, saying that it’s inherent to the farmer lifestyle to only use what you need. Butler holds the philosophy that the key to sustainability is leaving your environment how you’ve found it or better, a view he contributes to his background in landscape architecture.
“These kids got a lot of things that they’re challenged with, so as far as I’m concerned I’ve got a new respect for youth, because they’ll have to solve tomorrow’s problems. They’re not afraid to say we can change ourselves and we can change the world and we shouldn’t be either,” said Butler. “If we get people enthusiastic enough they’re going to respond.”
Local New Britain school students are encouraged to make their own banners to tell Izzy’s story and to express their own personal relationship with Izzy.
“We have classes coming in every Friday for the next five Fridays to look at it and study about it, you know, high school kids, all different versions of ages in different groups and I think because of all that it’s definitely going to be an eye opener and make the problem way more aware. So I think the public will get a lot more out of it too, especially from our small, little gallery,” said Jennifer Gott, a senior art major who helped with the exhibitions for her curatorship class.
The Chen Fine Arts Center is on the second floor of Maloney Hall and is free to the public from Monday to Friday, 1-4 p.m.
“This exhibit really gives you a god idea of what the [frogs’] environment looks like in this area…I like the frogs. It’s nice to see the origami frogs on the floor, on the walls. I’ve never seen anything quite like this in this area. It’s really a great exhibit to show you what’s going on below your feet, in back of you, areas where most people don’t look…I think these events need better publicity. I know about them because I’m involved with [the arts community]. More people in New Britain should see this,” said Frank Bradley, a member of the board of the New Britain Commission of the Arts, the board of the Greater New Britain Arts Alliance, the board of the New Britain public library.
Expect to see Izzy the Frog in the regional 2010-2011 Park Water Arts’ Festival of Eco Arts.