We are a product of our life experiences and social interactions, woven with time.

I was recently presented with an opportunity to assist a well-known and established NYC artist, Orly Genger. Although Orly is a NYC based artist, she has roots here in Chicago as she studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. So, it was no surprise that she put together a team including local artists to help install her sculpture, Hot Rod, along the lakefront trail on Lake Shore Drive.

During this weeklong installation, I found Orly Genger to be a lovely person and I developed a great respect for her talent and the amazing work she creates. The sculpture consisted of pieces of rope that she spent the past 4 years constructing out of recycled lobster nets. The sheer size of the sculpture was breathtaking and when studied, the intricacy of the intertwined ropes and intriguing design extremely fascinating. The installation itself took a team of us to bring the artist’s vision to life.

As I worked on the installation, from my perspective an analogy between the sculpture to life became apparent. The woven and knotted ropes were intertwined and stacked together, just as experiences do in our own lives. They can’t be rushed or contrived. And sometimes, things become twisted or knotted, but with time and patience they come together for each of us in our own unique way.

The analogy can also refer to the people that cross our paths and touch our lives. We learn from each and they become a part of who we are. Each segment of rope started out as one piece and it took a team to bring the sculpture together, just as individuals need to sometimes turn to others for help or to work as a team for success.

Along with our life experiences and social interactions, passion and drive also help form the design and path we take. It all stacks up to form our own masterpiece or footprint that we leave behind in the world.

A woven rope, a woven life.