Maren Mitzer, Student Work

For this piece I was inspired by a parade held in Saint Augustine, Florida in the early 1900s celebrating Ponce De Leon's discovery of a new land.  The St. Augustine Garden Club participated in the parade as well. It was customary for a Saint Augustine family to ride a float and act as the King and Queen of Spain. I was inspired by the ornately decorated float and throne-like chair Catherine Canova, a local community member representing the "Queen of Spain", was seated in. Catherine Canova was also a member of the Saint Augustine Garden Club. I highlighted the settlement of Saint Augustine by the Spanish crown through the use of dirt and a red velvet chair. The red velvet chair, decorated with flowers and outfitted with a cape, symbolize the monarchy. The dirt spread out before the chair represents the earth, landscape, colonized by royalty. The site for installation was chosen due to the proximity to the parade route as well as the grandiose grounds, situated behind a gate. 

Stories To Tell

Caroline McClellan, Student Work

This work is a response to a mass held in St. Augustine on September 8th, 1565 by Father Francisco Lopez de Mendoza Grajales. After studying paintings and drawings depicting the event, I decided to focus on the idea of rituals within a ceremony and created a large scale object to represent this moment. The mass was held outside, with ceremonial objects placed on a large, wood table.  The large, box form appears weighted and heavy. The top area depicts "traces" of ritualistic objects: candles, a bible, and a monstrance. The labyrinth is significant as it communicates ritualistic undertones. The box sits perfectly in the center of the labyrinth, highlighting its central importance to the concept of a mass celebration.