STONELEAF RETREAT

PROJECT: MACON REED, Mural

Macon Reed states, "In this moment of massive uncertainty and change, I have been reflecting on the role of plague, or disease, in creating social unrest and structural change over time. The Bubonic Plague was one of the most influential in history, ushering Europe from feudalism into early capitalism and colonization with massive unrest. HIV/AIDS galvanized a generation of queer activists and artists, bringing safer sex culture and consent closer into the mainstream. With COVID-19 bringing the inequities and failures of our current system to light, we again are at a moment where profound loss and the potential for change present themselves simultaneously. What can we learn from this moment? How does it connect to a larger human story? How will we move forward?

This mural weaves imagery from these periods into a tableau with symbols of luck and hope emblazoned flags, watching eyes in the mouths of protesters, queer culture, and the empty promises of capitalism (a carrot on a stick, a game already lost). It is a meditation on the roles of blood, power, hope, longing, and luck taking place in a cave underworld sitting at the foundation of our world."

MACON REED was STONELEAF RETREAT’s first returning alumni artist-in-residence, as she was one of STONELEAF’s first residents in 2017 and returned in the fall of 2020.