Betty Davis Art

Uprooted: Contemporary Nomads BFA Show presented by Betty Davis

This body of work is strongly related to my own ‘nomadic’ experience and to my longing for stable grounds. Like many others I left my home, my land and all that I hold dear to seek a better life in a distant land. I have crossed the southern border, and at the same time people in other places keep crossing other borders.

"I want to depict those who are not there yet, those who are floating as they transition from place to place, and as a consequence are unable to ‘echar raiz’ (grow roots)."

Not only migrant workers but also students who leave their homes,professionals commuting for a job or forced to move because of a job,the homeless and all of those who feel they have been moved by an outside force from their comfort zone.

The little tents or temporary roofs I really enjoyed making because I could put them through diverse situations. First there are those who are being blown away from the trees.The tree is a stable entity, most of the time it sits strong on the ground. I believe the little houses would like to become trees one day, yet they are blown away by forces beyond their power.

The drawings of the roofs and constellations were inspired by my family’s ways of coping with separation. I remember my mother telling me to step out and look at the moon: “I am looking at it too,we are both looking at it, the same moon at the same time.”That is why the constellations are depicted,and in one there is a ladder that unites earth and constellations together.
The thread drawings on wood prints are based on my daily interaction with the homeless. I remember listening to an old homeless man say:“This homeless shit is for birds” and yes, we are like birds, migrating and constantly moving from place to place.
The woven pieces below are landmarks. They do not have any reference to place or time. They serve as a reminder of a failed attempt to settle.