Eggspress yourself
"The Many Faces of COVID-19" is an art installation that will be on display in Studio Selfie 4 in the Rockford Building in downtown Coeur d'Alene through the rest of the month. It is made out of egg cartons. Many children and adults from the community contributed. (Courtesy photo)
Artist Anne Hedin is seen with the community art installation “The Many Faces of COVID-19,” a project she invited community members to participate in throughout the month of June. The installation is on display in Studio Selfie 4 through August and will then move to Washington State University in Pullman.
Courtesy photo
Art installation in Studio Selfie 4 reveals how people are processing COVID-19 pandemic
COEUR d’ALENE — Egg cartons can say a lot about people.
Artist Anne Hedin delighted in the surprises that came along with her art installation, "The Many Faces of COVID-19,” when she provided crayons, markers, chalk pastels and more and invited community members from 2 to 72 to express themselves by creating faces out of egg cartons.
"Through June, every time that the farmers market was open, I went down there and set up a table, brought egg cartons and supplies and had people make a face with egg cartons that related to something they had felt or something that had inspired them or something they wanted to communicate," Hedin said Wednesday. "It's very interesting, it's very quirky, it's very thoughtful."
Consisting of about 150 red, white and blue egg cartons, the piece shows some silly and goofy faces, illustrating a childlike lightheartedness and the need for play.
"One guy sat down to work on it, and his friends asked, 'What are you doing?' and he said, 'I'm having fun, this is amazing,'" Hedin said. "It wasn’t just children, it was children and adults. It was surprising, the adults that worked on it were so giddy and delightful."
In contrast, some faces reflect a darkness that many are or have been sensing throughout a global pandemic peppered with fear, racially charged riots and protests that indicate dangerous societal divides.
"I think it says a lot about our country right now. There's a lot going on," she said. "In the top center there’s a bear ripping through the fabric. It's like it's ripping through the fabric of our country.
"There’s parts of this that are more serous and emotional," she continued. "It’s got a variety of emotions, a variety of expressions. It's got a real voice to it."
Hedin, who taught art for 20 years and spent two years teaching at Lake City High School, said she plans to conduct quarterly art installations with more interactive projects ahead.
"I’m all about having people be a part of it," she said.
"The Many Faces of COVID-19” will be in Studio Selfie 4 in the Rockford Building at 504 E. Lakeside Ave., Coeur d'Alene, through the end of August. It will then be put on display at Washington State University.
Hedin's office hours are 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays.
Info: www.amhedin.com
