by Elissa Evans
As a young child, one of my favourite movies growing up was Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Willy Wonka and his fascinating factory full of wonder and surprises always fascinated me. Now as an adult, MONA very much reminds me of the fascination I held for Mr. Wonka and his creations as a child. Walking through the numerous levels of the Museum of Old and New Art, it brings out that childlike curiosity within me. Throughout the varied exhibits, ranging from breathtaking to jaw dropping, I had such a large amount of inspiration to draw from. This piece was inspired by an exhibit I walked past on numerous occasions, but one that caught my eye on each passing. I’m sure it could mean a lot of things to many people, but for me, I love how chaotic it is. There are times when I feel as though I have a thousand different thoughts running through my mind, all overlapping and interchanging constantly. When I looked at that wall in front of me, with its hundreds of words crawling over each other, I thought “Ah, that’s what the inside of my mind must look like at times”. It was at that point I knew I had found the inspiration for my piece.
Take me on your boat,
Carry me across the river.
Let me close my eyes,
Lulled by the endless motion.
The clouds tumble,
As they envelope one another.
With boundless cyan sky,
It announces its presence be known.
Let me set my feet upon the shore,
And take in the subtle ambience.
As my mind feasts on the promise,
Of a scintillating experience.
I ready myself,
Filled with childlike curiosity.
I step into a world much akin,
To a fictitious fantasy creation.
Boundaries pushed on every level,
In the building nestled on this treasure of an island.
Take my hand,
Lead me into places unknown.
Invoke all my senses,
Music and sound cause vibrations.
Each pulse of the organic beat,
Add further life to the art before me.
Before me hundreds upon hundreds of words,
Interchange and overlap.
Constantly scattering themselves,
Like ants underfoot.
Catching a rare glimpse of the inside
Of my own ceaseless mind.
My body remains in place,
Fascinated by the wall.
I am in my world no longer.