fault lines

fault lines is a print and photographic series that captures intricate tire patterns created by construction machinery and heavy-duty vehicles. It explores the impact of a constantly shifting world on a forever changing landscape. The rhythmic designs and textured motifs of the repetitive dips, dents and dimples are formed by trucks as they move through gravel, tar, mud, oil, dirt, ice, snow or water. Some compositions linger while others disappear quickly, mirroring impermanence and the fragility of our environment. Rutted and grooved surfaces echo life’s inevitable pits and pitfalls. Some indentations embed deeply. Others barely skim the surface. Some trail on, while others end abruptly. Societal divides and cultural barriers, locally, nationally and globally, live in the gaps. Crisscrossing streaks intersect the individual with the collective.

Photographs

Prints

Life-changing events stop us in our tracks. For St. Louis artist Judith Shaw, stopping for tracks changed her life. Tire tracks that is. Shaw’s condominium in Clayton overlooks the sprawling Centene corporate expansion project. Underway for nearly five years, the massive development has been an ongoing source of angst and anguish not only for her, but also for other residents and businesses in the neighborhood. Shaw’s unit faces the building site of the 30-story office tower which looms over her living space. Once demolition and construction got rolling, relentless noise and layer upon layer of dust and debris transformed her home from a sanctuary into a battle zone. From dusk to dawn, Shaw and her neighbors were bombarded with the rumble and vibration of jack-hammers, the pounding of pile drivers and the racket of drills, saws, hammers and grinders. Clamoring trucks caused constant commotion. Armies of uniformed workers, in high- visibility gear, invaded the area six days a week. Traffic detours and delays were rampant. Disgusted and distraught, Shaw considered selling her condo and moving - to a different neighborhood, maybe to another city, maybe to the countryside. But after a surprising turnaround, she did none of those.

It happened one day when Shaw spotted an array of intricate tire patterns created by the massive machinery moving about the construction site. Awed by the in-ground sketches left by the tires, she stopped to admire the tracks and has been doing so ever since. Shaw saw artistry in the rhythmic designs and textured motifs of the repetitive dips, dents and dimples formed by the trucks as they went through gravel, tar, mud, oil, dirt, ice, snow or water. Some compositions lingered while others disappeared quickly, mirroring impermanence and the fragility of our environment. Shaw approached equipment operators and truck drivers to help capture the graphic tire imagery from their heavy vehicles, using tar paper as the canvas for her project. She found workers all too willing to lend a hand. Shaw now considers them partners in her creative process and the job site an interactive art studio. Cement mixers, dump trucks, loaders, excavators, backhoes, dozers, hoists, cranes and assorted utility vehicles are her printing presses. What had been an adversarial situation for years became a collaborative effort and gave rise to a bold series of prints and photographs called fault lines. It explores the impact of a constantly shifting world on a forever changing landscape.

Rutted and grooved surfaces in the tire tracks remind Shaw of life’s inevitable fault lines. Some indentations embed deeply. Others barely skim the surface. Some trail on, while others end abruptly. Societal divides and cultural barriers, locally, nationally and globally, live in the gaps. Crisscrossing streaks intersect the individual with the collective. While Shaw might have expected the tire etchings to inspire a creative vision, she never imagined that the imprints would enable her to make peace with the relentless disturbance of an invasive construction project just feet from her home. The experience of partnering with the workers is about more than making art. The immediacy and intimacy of the personal connection helped foster a sense of collaboration, understanding and teamwork. Yet, Shaw also understood the ongoing frustration of her fellow residents. They maintained that the developer and city officials advanced the corporate complex at all cost with little regard to its impact on the neighboring community. As the needs of residents and workers continued to clash, friction mounted. It was hard to be amiable at times. To Shaw’s surprise, a number of workers told her how uncomfortable it was to do their jobs in what they sensed was unwelcoming territory. Now on a first-name basis with many of the workers who partner in the art, Shaw greets them daily and they often exchange personal stories with one another. Many also stop in amazement to look at the tire markings, artwork they admittedly never noticed before. They, too, appreciate the camaraderie and new perspective. Shaw finds herself reflecting on how a shared sense of belonging gives people with differing viewpoints the opportunity to co- exist and thrive. Now she stops not only to admire tire tracks but also to marvel at the skill, craftsmanship and precision involved in the art and science of building.