Those looking for a local way to help people and communities ravaged by the Ebola virus may be interested in a project started by Pacific Art Professor Doug Anderson.
The Ebola Domino Project was conceived by Anderson. As the disease continued to spread throughout 2014, the latter part of the year found Anderson desiring a way to make a difference by involving his creative talents.
“I knew I wanted to make art, yet traditional drawings seemed unsatisfying,” said Anderson.
As he watched the incoming news on the event fluctuate, he noted to himself how quickly change could happen, both for better and worse. “Without a sustained effort to eradicate the disease and rebuild communities,” he said, “Prospects could easily take a more negative turn.”
Thinking about the concept of a world “tipping point” nudged Anderson in the direction of the idea that would become the Ebola Domino Project. The project manifests the tipping point idea in the decoration of two sides of a five-inch-tall wooden block, or domino. By “purchasing” these dominoes for a $25 donation to AmeriCares, the artists fund efforts to control the disease.
“One side of the domino will be in shades of grays and would portray the conditions, causes, effects and suffering associated with Ebola,” states the website,
eboladominoproject.org. “The other side of the domino would show the opposite, evoking health and life in colorful imagery.”
Artists are invited to choose their own medium, style and level of abstraction in service of the project.
“It’s an on-the-ground effort that’s a lot different than painting in the studio, which often doesn’t travel very far,” said Anderson. “It’s definitely an experiment.”
Anderson set about his experiment by enlisting the help of other faculty and students, and quickly found that many were willing to offer their support.
“I’m an art minor, so I have a lot of classes with Doug Anderson,” said junior Mahala Nelson, who runs aspects of the project’s social media.
Nelson is one of many students from the art program and club that decided to pool their efforts into this project.
The first of a few planned workshops for the project will be held in Brown Hall room 102 from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 5. The project will continue to accept dominoes through April 17, and artists may submit as many as they wish. An exhibition is scheduled for May on the Forest Grove campus.
“We are really trying to create some quality dominoes,” said Nelson.
Those interested in participating are encouraged to check out the website or to email Anderson at his email danderson@pacificu.edu. Additionally, you can find the Ebola Domino Project on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.
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