The Meaning Behind each “Message in a Bottle” Sub-Series

Take Me Out of the Blue: The initial series was inspired by the loneliness of war and its terrifying implications. After all, at the center of war is the human being, striving to survive. The drip of time and the weight of his mortality were clearly on his mind, and hearing from his “wifey” seems the only thing that could save him from his state.The anidote to war’s cruelties–real human connection–radiates out from my grandfather’s words, imploring his “beloved Goldie” to write him more often. Feeling isolated and yearning to reconnect are hardly unique to war – they can occur during a global pandemic, or simply everyday life. I try to reflect both the “blue” – the longing and gloom that befalls us now and then– as well as the joyous dream of reuniting with loved ones.

Threads of Connection: My grandfather was a tailor and I, too, work creatively with fabric and thread. My grandfather’s letters dance with my fabrics, as if we are in conversation in the current moment. I am curious about this connection of hands, hearts and DNA, but also about the larger themes of belonging and love in one’s ancestral chain. Perhaps there is a way to “heal backwards in time?”

Remedy: Just as bottles can contain healing medicine or harmful poison, one’s mindset can be ally or enemy. On Sept 1, 1918, days before my grandfather’s division was sent to Europe to fight, he instructed my grandmother what he found to be “the best remedy” for coping with her worry and lonesomeness. He advised that she think only of the day they would be together again and to fill her heart with joy, knowing there is someone who she loves so dearly waiting for her.

With the Colors: The letters revealed how committed this immigrant was to being a soldier in the American army. Born in what is now Belarus, A. C. Brook escaped the pogroms (massacres and persecution of the Jews), landed penniless in Detroit, Michigan in the early 1900’s, learned English, became a tailor, and signed up with honor to fight for his new country.  The phrase “with the colors”, which was printed onto some of the US Expeditionary Forces stationary he used, is a solemn and heartfelt term for the American flag, used especially to honor those who have died for the greater cause.