| I think of the "bear" in the woodcut print "Bear Rising" (above) as an explorer, and as a metaphor for the imagination. From Phil and Phylis's reaction to this image which they saw on an announcement card for an exhibit of my work in the Washington D.C area, I can say that they saw this image also as a metaphor for imagination. They loved it and they sought me out to tell me so. I am an artist and Museum educator. Philip and Phylis were interested in my art work and at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, (1978-2002). My job at the Museum was to make the Museum accessible to people with disabilities. Some of our many connections over the years were through EDC, museum education conferences, and through mutual friends. Anti- Vietnam war activities had also brought us together. The last time I saw Phil was a chance encounter at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. We, (my husband Daivd and I) had come to hear Christo talk about his recent art work. This talk was in close proximity to the collective experience of the "Gates" in Central park and there was a great deal of excitement in the auditorium. I was not surprised to see Phil there because, when I thought of it, of course he'd be interested in this intersection between visual ideas and a public installation of the scale of "the Gates" which moved and fascinated so many people young and old. But I was surprised to see him there in the sense that it took a lot of energy and effort to come to that sold out evening lecture and there he was, maneuvering his scooter, energy and curiosity as alive as ever. Only a few weeks later, I read that he had died. Now, as if to bring our lives together in a circle of generations, our daughter Anna Rubin is a person working in the area of polio rehabilitation. Phil's story which includes polio in his early life is the kind of life- history she has become interested in as she helped to create an oral history of people who survived polio for an international program focused on post-polio syndrome. Few lives have as many facets as Philip Morrison's. One can connect to it through many avenues including through the imagination. Thus I send you, "Bear Rising". || next>> |
From
Elly Rubin, erubin@cs.umb.edu|
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