TCU art major represents relationship between humans, nature in exhibit

The+Living+Room+by+Kaylee+Meyers%2C+a+living+exhibit%2C+is+on+display+in+Moudy+North.

Emily Fincher

“The Living Room” by Kaylee Meyers, a living exhibit, is on display in Moudy North.

By Emily Fincher, Staff Writer

Facebook Marketplace and chia seeds were the key elements in creating an exhibit now on display in the Moudy North student gallery.

Kaylee Meyer, a sophomore studio art major concentrating in painting, said she created “The Living Room” to represent the relationship between humans and nature.

Meyer shows off her exhibition in the Moudy North student gallery. (Emily Fincher/TCU 360)

Meyer gathered items including a chandelier, a table, two chairs and grew microgreens on furniture. The chia seeds flourished under Meyer’s care.

“The life expectancy of the chia seeds used is 10-14 days,” said Meyer. “Because the sprouts cannot be sustained to grow on the hard surfaces of wood, leather and metal, this is an exercise in trust with nature; trusting that the seeds would grow if I watered them and that we would live in collaboration for the next five exhibition days.”

The chandelier, table and two chairs recreated a domestic household area, like a dining room. By bringing the objects to life, Meyer aimed to remove their original purpose while preserving their symbolism.

 

 

She said the process of creating the exhibition was long.

“First I had to Facebook Marketplace all the furniture, then I wrapped all the furniture in paper towels and chia seeds, and lastly I watered the chia seeds every two hours for 14 days,” Meyer said.

Meyer’s chandelier (Emily Fincher/TCU 360)

“I was really nervous about my show because I did not know how it would turn out,” said Meyer, adding that she had to place her trust in an unpredictable medium.

“The Living Room,” along with the art project’s creation process, is “a nod to the kinship humans have as stewards to the world, everything has to work together to have results,” said Meyer.

The exhibitions are open to the public.