♪ ♪ >> PICTURE, IF YOU WILL, A DINNER PARTY WITH NO SEATING, JUST 99 PLACES SET TO COMMEMORATE FAMOUS WOMEN THROUGHOUT HISTOR WITH ELABORATELY CARVE AND HAD PAINTED CHINA PLATES IN THE FORM OF INTIMATE FEMALE ANATOMY.

WELCOME TO "CROSSROADS."

IF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE WORK OF FEMINIST ARTIST JUDY CHICAGO, YOU WILL RECOGNIZE HER DINNER PARTY EXHIBITION.

DURING THE COURSE OF RESEARCH INVOLVED IN FORMULATING THE PARTY, CHICAGO WAS APPALLED BY THE LACK OF ARTWORKS DEVOTED TO FEMININE MYTHOLOGY, THE DESIRE TO RECTIFY THIS SET HER OFF ON A NEW WORK, THE "THE BIRTH PROJECT," WHICH CELEBRATES THE FEMALE POWER IN A SERIES OF MONUMENTAL NEEDLEWORK PIECES.

IT WENT ON TOUR AND FORTUNATELY ONE OF THE STOPS WAS AT THE WOOD ART GALLERY IN MONTPELIER.

THAT "THE BIRTH PROJECT" CAME TO MONTPELIER AT ALL IS A TRIBUTE TO A HANDFUL OF DETERMINED WOMEN.

♪ >> THE SPRING OF 1984 I SAW A RETROSPECTIVE EXHIBIT OF JUDY CHICAGO IN NEW YORK.

PART OF THE EXHIBIT WAS PIECES OF HER NEW WORK CALLED "THE BIRTH PROJECT."

I WAS INTERESTED IN THIS FROM MY PERSPECTIVE AS A MIDWIFE AND ALSO AS A MOTHER AND A WOMAN.

OF COURSE I WANTED EVERYBODY I KNEW TO SEE IT, AS WELL, AND WONDERED HOW I COULD GET IT TO VERMONT.

HE WENT BACK TO VERMONT WITH PICTURES AND IDEAS AND SCHEMES, AND CALLED HER PEOPLE IN CALIFORNIA THROUGH THE FLOWER CORPORATION, AND ASKED IF IT WAS POSSIBLE TO BRING THIS EXHIBIT TO VERMONT.

MUCH TO MY SURPRISE THEY WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE AND SAID ABSOLUTELY THERE WAS NO REASON ON EARTH WHY THE BIRTH PROJECT COULDN'T COME TO VERMONT AND MOPT.

MY FRIENDSHIP DEVELOPED WITH THE BIRTH OF MY SECOND DAUGHTER, ALEYA, AND SHE KNEW I RAN A GALLERY AND THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A PERFECT PLACE TO EXHIBIT "THE BIRTH PROJECT" BEING THE CAPITAL CITY OF VERMONT AND A NICE, LARGE SPACE.

WHEN SHE SHOWED ME THE IMAGES, I WAS NOT SURE THAT MONTPELIER WAS READY FOR THIS KIND OF AN EXHIBIT.

AFTER HAVING BIRTHED THREE CHILDREN AND FEELING PROUD OF THAT IDEA I REALIZED THAT THE PIECES IN THE SHOW WERE VERY DOCUMENTATION OF THAT EXPERIENCE, AND THAT EXPERIENCE THAT OTHER WOMEN HAVE FELT, AS WELL, AND I KNEW THAT IT HAD TO BE SHOWN, AND I WANTED TO BE A PART OF IT.

>> GNAT EFFORT TO RAISE THE EXHIBIT, PRESENTING ON PARENTHOOD, HUMANITIES, AND AM PRACTICING AND REALLY WANTED TO SEE WHAT SUPPORT THERE WAS FOR THESE IDEAS.

>> MY ROLE ON THIS PROJECT IS TO TALK ABOUT THE WORKS OF ART AND HOW THEY FUNCTION.

VISUALLY AND SYMBOLICALLY.

HOW CHICAGO, AS THE ORGANIZER OF THIS ENGINE OF 150 VOLUNTEER WOMEN WAS ABLE TO BRING THE PROJECT OFF.

AND THE PROJECT IS VERY MUCH A WORK OF CONCEPTUAL ART.

IT'S NOT SIMPLY THESE 12 VISUAL ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTATION, THE JOURNALS OF THE WORKERS, PHOTOGRAPHS OF THEM, THE CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN CHICAGO AND THEM, THE DESIGN AND EXECUTION OF THE WORK BY THE NEEDLEWORKERS PUN NEEDLEWORKERS UPON CHICAGO'S DESIGNS.

YOU CAN SEE THE CONCENTRATED IMAGE OF THE WOMAN'S BODY PRESENTED IN A WAY THAT WOMEN'S BODIES HAVE RARELY BEEN PRESENTED IN WESTERN ART BEFORE.

THE CENTER OF THE WORK IS THE CROWN OF THE BABY'S HEAD AS IT IS ABOUT TO COME OUT OF THE BIRTH CANAL.

BUT THERE IS THE AMBIVALENCE THAT, SOME MYTHOLOGICAL AMBIVALENCE, THAT A WOMAN'S BODY IS LIKE A TREE, YOU SEE THIS FOLIAGE LIKE HAIR.

THE CONCENTRATION OF THE WORK, IS COMPLIMENTED IN AN INTERESTING WAY BY THE NEEDLEWORK QUILTING TECHNIQUE ON THIS WORK.

THE QUILTER WHO QUILTED IT AND TOOK HER TWO YEARS AGO TO DO IT, SAID THAT SHE USED A STITCH WHICH WAS LIKE TEARS MOVING DOWNWARDS SO THAT THERE IS A REPEATED, REGULAR IMAGE.

THE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES OF PUTTING THE SHOW TOGETHER WERE ENORMOUS BECAUSE NEEDLEWORK IS A SOFT MEDIUM AND TENDS TO SAG, AND THE WORKS HAD TO BE SUPPORTED AND FRAMED, AND THIS WAS DONE BY A WHOLE OTHER GROUP OF PEOPLE, THE FRAMING OF THE WORK.

THEY HAD TO BE DESIGNED IN A WAY THAT THEY COULD HANG ON THE WALL, AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS ABOUT THE SHOW IS THE INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS, WHICH COULD OCCUPY VOLUMES, BUT HOW THE WORKS ARE TO BE HUNG, THERE IS VELCRO DESIGNS, HOW THE WORKS ARE PACKED IN PINK BAGS AND THERE IS A MYSTIQUE TO THE INSTALLATION OF THE WORK TO THE SHIPPING OF THE WORK TO THE HANGING OF THE WORK THAT IS ENTIRELY DETERMINED BY CHICAGO, THE GALLERY DIRECTORS.

THE GARMENTS, DESIGNED BY CHICAGO, ARE INTERESTING IN MANY WAYS.

FOR ONE THING THEY ARE TREMENDOUSLY OVERSIZED SO THEY HAVE A MYTHIC QUALITY ABOUT THEM.

THEY ARE LARGER THAN ANYONE WOULD WEAR.

ANOTHER INTERESTING THING ABOUT THEM IS THAT WOMEN'S BODIES BECAUSE THEY HAVE ARMS AND HANDS, THEY DON'T HAVE THE HEAD SO THEY ARE MAKING A STATEMENT ABOUT WOMEN AS A GENERAL FIGURE.

A BUTTERFLY AT THE CENTER OF THE PREGNANT BELLY HERE IS A SYMBOL MOVING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION FROM THE BIRDS CANAL FLOW DOWNWARD, UP OUT INTO THE SKY, AND ONE OF CHICAGO'S FAVORITE SYMBOLS OF CREATION.

I THINK IT WAS GENIUS OF CHICAGO TO LOOK AT THE MATERNITY CLOTHES, WHICH IS A CONVENTION IN EVERY WOMAN'S LIFE, HAS TO COPE WITH THE COSTUME AND CHICAGO WAS GOING VERY MUCH INTO THE HISTORY OF THE MATERNITY CLOTHES AND ALSO WANTED TO EXPERIENCE HIDING THEIR BIRTH, AND THIS EXALTS THE BLOATED CONDITION OF PREGNANCY.

CHICAGO'S GENIUS HAD TO DO WITH HER ROLE AS AN ORGANIZER, OF THIS LARGE NETWORK, 150 WOMEN WHO WERE READY TO WORK FOR HER FOR A TERM OF FIVE YEARS, REALLY.

TO EXECUTE THESE WORKS, WHICH WERE ENTIRELY DESIGNED BY CHICAGO.

AND THE WOMEN WERE EXECUTED THE WORKS AND MADE VERY FEW DECISIONS ON HOW THE WORK WAS TO BE DONE.

THE PEOPLE HAD AN INTENSE FEELING OF THE WORK AND THEIR ROLE AS MEMBERS.

THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT, I THINK, THAT THE NEEDLE WOMEN WERE ALMOST ENTIRELY MOTHERS.

WHICH IS A HAS NEVER HAD A CHILE, IN THE SENSE THE WOMEN WERE THE ONES WHO MADE THE WORK COME INTO BEING, AND CHICAGO WAS BORN.

CHICAGO WAS BORN THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF THESE NEEDLE WOMEN.

LIKE THE BIRTH TRINITY, WHICH IS, I THINK, THE MOST IMPORTANT WORK IN THE SHOW.

YOU SAY WHAT IS THE TRINITY MADE UP OF?

THERE ARE THREE APPARENT FIGURES IN THIS WORK.

THERE IS A BIRTH-GIVING FIGURE AT THE CENTER OF THE WORK, OBVIOUSLY, THE MOST IMPORTANT, SPLIT WIDE OPEN, AND BEHIND THAT BIRTH GIVING WOMAN IS A SUPPORTING FIGURE.

IT MUST HAVE BEEN A WOMAN BECAUSE HER HAIR RADIATES OUT TO THE CORNERS OF THE WORK.

AND AS THE OTHER SIDE OF THE GIVING OF THE WORK.

THERE IS SOMEONE WHO WAS ACCEPTING THE FLOW OF BIRTH, AND I THINK ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT THIS WORK IS THE WAY THE IMAGERY WORKS.

BECAUSE THERE IS NOT ANY BABY COMING OUT OF THE WOMAN.

WHAT'S COMING OUT IS THE FLOW OF CREATION.

AS MUCH AS THE WORK IS ABOUT WOMEN'S ABILITY TO GIVE BIRTH TO BABIES, IT'S ALSO ABOUT WOMEN'S ABILITIES TO GIVE BIRTH TO ART.

I THINK THIS IS A DOUBLE IMAGE ARE THE WOMAN IS THE CONNECTION WITH THE EARTH MOTHER AND THE FLOW OF THE BIRTH OR RIVERS OUT OF HER, AND THE SORT OF RADIATING SPOKES OF HER HAIR ARE LIKE THE SUN.

SO YOU SEE THE ELEMENTS OF LIGHT, OF EARTH, OF WATER, COMING OUT OF THE PRIMORDIAL WOMAN.

AS WE CAN SEE IN THE EVER LARGE WORK IN THIS SHOW, IN MONTPELIER, CALLED THE CREATION OF THE WORLD, THIS WORK IS REALLY A COSMOLOGICAL IMAGE.

IT SHOWS THE WOMAN'S BODY GIVING BIRTH TO THE ENTIRE SPECTRUM OF NATURE FROM ON THE RIGHT YOU WILL SEE THE CREATOR'S HAND HOLDING THE SUN AND OUT OF HER WOMB COMING THIS SORT OF NUCLEUS OF ALL LIFE ON EARTH, WHICH IS SPINNING OFF FROM HER, THE EVOLUTIONARY SPIRAL FROM SMALL ORGANISMS, TORTOISES AND SERPENTS AND OTHER IMAGES, WHICH WERE ASSOCIATED WITH WOMEN IN ANCIENT MYTHOLOGY TO THE WHOLE COSMOLOGICAL GRANDEUR OF THE UNIVERSE, STARS, AND PLANETS AND GALAXIES SO CHICAGO IS REWRITING THE CREATION MYTHOLOGY IN TERMS OF WOMEN'S POINT OF VIEW IN TERMS OF THE BIRTH PROCESS, AND YOU WILL NOTICE IN THE COLOR, IF YOU TRAVEL ACROSS IT FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER, THAT IT'S THE ENTIRE SPECTRUM OF COLOR, AND CHICAGO NEEDS TO INCLUDE THIS SPECTRUM AS SAYING THAT THE UNIVERSITY INCLUDES ALL COLOR.

IN THE CREATION OF THE WORLD BIRTH QUILT, CHICAGO TAKES ON THE ENTIRE UNIV YIEWRVES.

ENTIRE UNIVERSE.

SHE ATTEMPTS TO REACH PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT BE CONVENTIONAL ART VIEWERS AND MUSEUM VIEWERS.

SHE WANTS TO DEAL WITH THE BASIC EXPERIENCE OF BIRTH, WHICH EVERYONE HAS GONE THROUGH AND TO MAKE THESE WORKS AVAILABLE ON THE MOST BASIC LEVEL TO PEOPLE ON THE WIDEST POSSIBLE DISTRIBUTION NETWORK.

SHE'S HAD THIS BROKEN UP INTO 80 UNITS WHICH CAN TRAVEL TO BIRTHING CENTERS, HOSPITALS TO, WOMEN'S CENTERS SO PLACES WHERE PEOPLE WHO ORDINARILY DON'T LOOK AT ART WILL BE ABLE TO SEE IT.

THIS, IN ITSELF, IS A TREMENDOUS ACCOMPLISHMENT.

IT'S BEEN VERY SATISFYING TO PULL THIS TOGETHER.

THE ART GALLERIES HAVE NEVER GONE IN FOR PROGRAMMING BEFORE, AND I FEEL THAT THE WHOLE CHALLENGE OF MAKING A WHOLE METAPHOR WORK OF LECTURES, OF MYTHOLOGY, OF MEDICINE, OF ART, AND AN AUDIENCE HAS COME WEEK AFTER WEEK TO LEARN MORE AND SEE ANOTHER FACET OF IT HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE.

>> I FEEL THAT THE ENERGY THAT CHICAGO HAS PUT INTO THIS WITH A COLLABORATION OF ALL THESE NEEDLEWORKERS FROM ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES IS JUST MET WITH THE RESPONSE THAT WE HAVE GOTTEN WITH A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME THROUGH THIS ART GALLERY.

IT'S JUST BEEN UNBELIEVABLE.

I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED SUCH AN INTEREST AND SO MUCH SUPPORT.

>> BIRTH IS, POTENTIALLY, AN EMPOWERING EXPERIENCE FOR WOMEN.

I THOUGHT MYSELF AS A MOTHER GIVING BIRTH AND I SEE IT EVERY KAY-- AS A MIDWIFE, WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS THAT IT TAKES THAT PARTICULAR EXPERIENCE OF A WOMAN'S LIFE AND AFFIRMS IT IN SOMETHING GREATER.

>> THE CIRCUMSTANCES MADE BY NOW BE OBSCURED BY THE YEARS, BUT IF YOU ASK AROUND, SOMEONE IS SURE TO RECALL ONE OF THE STRANGER OCCURRENCES IN THE RECENT HISTORY OF BRISTOL, VERMONT.

THE DAY ROYCE WAS BANNED FROM THE TOWN DUMP FOR HAVING REMOVED MORE THAN HE PUT IN.

OF COURSE, IT WAS ALL IN THE NAME OF ART AS IS JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING IN HIS OFF-BEAT WORLD.

HIS WORK HAS USUALLY BEEN MET WITH AS MUCH HARSH DISFAVOR AS WITH OUTRIGHT ACCLAIM, AND EVERYWHERE FROM MILAN, ITALY TO BURLINGTON, VERMONT.

WE CLOSE OUR PROGRAM WITH A PROFILE OF THIS ENIGMATIC CONCEPTUAL ARTIST.

>> DO NOT FEAR, FEAR.

NO FEAR.

I FEED YOU DOING THINGS WE CAN'T HANDLE.

MUSIC.

TAKE THE SILVER SPOON FROM THE MOUTH.

TUCK IN THE INDEX FINGER LIKE MOTHER.

JESUS.

THE WHOLE, NO LARGER OR SMALLER THAN YOUR GRASP.

FUNNY THINGS ARE NEVER OUT OF PLACE.

INNOCENCE.

HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN AN ARTIST WHO TURNS THE CLICHE OF FINDING ONE'S NICHE IN LIFE INTO AN EXTRAORDINARY OFF-BEAT HAPPENING?

IN THE CASE OF ONE ROYCE DENNLER, IT LIES IN THE PERFORMANCE.

>> FEELS GOOD TO BE TRUE.

BIRD IN HAND.

LOOK AROUND AND SEE.

THE CONCAVITY DRAWS YOU IN.

WE ARE THE PUPPET OF THE GODS.

ABSURD, MAYBE, BUT FOR THIS MAD CAP ARTIST, PER RECEIVING THE REAL WORLD THROUGH ABSTRACTION ONLY ADDS CLARITY TO THAT WORLD.

>> OKAY.

BE HAPPY.

THERE IS A REAL WORLD, BUT THE ARTISTS, OF COURSE, THERE IS THE IDEA FOR EVERYBODY, THERE IS ALWAYS AN IDEA, AN ABSTRACTION.

THERE IS AN ABSTRACT IDEA AS WELL AS A REAL WORLD.

SO FIND A REALIST, I AM A REALIST, I LIVE IN THE WORLD BUT I HAVE ABSTRACT IDEAS, AND THEY COME OUT IN MOST OF MY WORK.

BUT BEHIND ALL OF THIS IS BEAUTY.

BEAUTY ENCOMPASSES BOTH THESE THINGS.

>> OKAY.

>> BRING THE STAIRS UP.

SO ONE CAN WALK UP TO THE NICHE, AND FIND ONE'S NICHE.

TO SEE THE SPACE.

IT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, WE REALLY FEEL THE SPACE AND YOU KNOW THAT YOU ARE THERE.

YOU GO UP TO THE STAIRS, AND YOU ARE THERE.

THE MUSICAL QUALITY OF DENNLER'S WORK BELIES THE SERIOUS INTENT, AS HE EXPLAINS, THE CREATIVE PROCESS BY WHICH HE GENERATES ART IS NOT AS MYSTERIOUS AS THE ART, ITSELF.

>> HOW DOES AN IDEA BEGIN FOR ME?

I'VE BEEN WORKING FOR MANY YEARS.

PROBABLY 30 YEARS MAKING ART.

PROBABLY OH, YEARS OF EDUCATION, INCLUDING A B.A., A BSA AND MSA FROM THE UNIVERSITY.

WHEN I STARTED AN IDEA, IT'S PROBABLY A WORD.

A DRAWING.

AND A PIECE OF CLAY THAT I CARRY AROUND IN MY SUITCASE.

AND WORK AT EVERY DAY, AND HAVE ABSTRACT POINTS, AND MY LIFE GETS INTO IT, BASS LIVES, IDEAS, BOOKS, ALL GET INTO THE WORK.

START WITH CREATION, IMITATION, IMITATING NATURE.

WHAT IS NATURE?

HUMAN NATURE IS WHAT NATURE REALLY MEANS.

DOESN'T MEAN TREES.

THINGS.

IT MEANS ONE IS NATURE.

OR IMITATING THE SOURCE.

IMITATING THE SOURCE OF CREATIVITY AND THAT'S AN ARTIST'S ORIGINALITY.

AFTER A WHILE, IT OVERFLOWS.

IT'S ORIGINAL.

IT'S A PARADOX OF KNOWING THAT IT'S MINE, AND HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ME, JUST HAS TO DO WITH WHAT FLOWS THROUGH ME.

>> DENNLER FOUND FILM-MAKING ALLOWED HIM TO EXPLORE IS SEVERAL ART FORMS.

IN THIS 1979 FILM HE PRESENTS MULTIPLE IMAGES OF THE WORKINGS OF THE MIND AS IT RECOLLECTS THE PAST AND INTO THE PRESENT AND PROJECTS THE FUTURE.

>> THIS IS THE BEST WAY TO BRING MEDIA INTO PLAY, USING MY SENSE OF MUSIC AND VISUAL IMAGERY AND TIMING.

USING SCULPTURE, AND MAKING PROPS.

ILM BECAME THE MEDIA.

AND I LOVED FILM BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING.

COULD START FRESH.

AND THAT'S WHAT IT IS, A FRESH START.

A LOOK AT THE MEDIUM.

>> OTHER FILM-MAKING EFFORTS LIKE YOU FAINT AND SPIRITS CAN'T SPELL, EVENTUALLY LED TO THIS VISUAL INTERPRETATION OF THE MUSIC OF MUSICIAN AND COMEDIAN SPIKE JONES.

>> THERE THEY GO!

>> JACK, HIT ME AGAIN, DEALER!

>> WHATEVER LABEL YOU ATTACH TO ROYCE DENNLER, BE IT ARTIST, FILM-MAKER OR POET, GENIUS OR MAT MAN, SUFFICE IT TO SAY HIS WAY OF LOOKING AT LIFE STANDS REALITY ON ITS HEAD.

>> YOUR TURN.

BE HAPPY.

>> FOR MORE CLASSIC PROGRAMS, VISIT VERMONTPBS.ORG/FROMTHEARCHIVES.