Object Record
Images
Metadata
Catalog Number |
2020.003.007 |
Object Name |
Book |
Description |
Artist: A boy's long-neglected favorite stuffed monkey, Pippo's years show. During quarantine, he is discovered-tumbled in a chair-by the "boy's" mother who brings Pippo back into daily family activities. Trex, another old toy, makes appearances as Pippo's friend. Each page features a photograph with short text conveying moments of life during stay-at-home days only lightly, with no direct statements. I had the lonesome blues when I was sorting everything around our house after my mother died, intensified by the initial sequestering period due to COVID-19. Pippo became my symbol of separation, a surrogate child, a thoughtful practice for me to acknowledge the beauty and privilege of everyday activities. I started posting these images daily on FaceBook. I sent a Pippo page every day to a few people who were isolated but not on social media, and was inspired by conversations with my grand-niece, Margot, about her stuffed animals, Slick and Dotty. The practice reunited me with people I had lost communication with and opened up some beautiful conversations about their childhoods and current lives. Friends tell me they look forward to my Pippo posts every day amidst so much devastating news. My husband and friends say "Pippo ought to…" all the time. We don't run out of ideas. If we follow the rules of physical distance, we tend to become lonely. Luckily, there are ways to keep the social aspect of our lives enriched. I'm fiercely determined to appreciate my opportunities to love as long as I'm alive. |
Date |
2020 |
Artist |
Mary de Wit |
Dimensions |
H-8.5 W-8.5 D-0.25 inches |
Collection |
Local Art in the Age of the 2020 Global Pandemic Special Collection |
Title |
50 Days with Pippo |
Place of Origin |
USA/Tennessee/Kingsport |
Material |
paper, ink |
Subjects |
American Art Appalachian Art |
Search Terms |
Appalachian Art |