{"id":41525,"date":"2019-01-17T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-01-17T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/news\/evergreen-cemetery-focus-of-new-art-installation\/"},"modified":"2019-01-17T15:26:18","modified_gmt":"2019-01-18T00:26:18","slug":"evergreen-cemetery-focus-of-new-art-installation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/home\/evergreen-cemetery-focus-of-new-art-installation\/","title":{"rendered":"Evergreen Cemetery focus of new art installation"},"content":{"rendered":"
“Solstice” is a blend of opposites and constants.<\/p>\n
Each piece in Averyl Veliz<\/a>’s 13-piece series of digital collage illustrations printed on aluminum examine downtown Juneau’s Evergreen Cemetery during either the winter or summer solstice.<\/p>\n “I wanted to show that stark contrast,” Veliz said.<\/p>\n “Solstice” was the focus on a Wednesday night Juneau Arts & Humanities Council roundtable meeting. Veliz explained the themes and methods behind the work that was supported by the JAHC and City and Borough of Juneau through an Individual Artist Award of $750.<\/p>\n [Evergreen Cemetery featured in Top Photos of 2018<\/a>]<\/ins><\/p>\n Behind the art<\/strong><\/p>\n The work was inspired by several things, including a closeness to the historic cemetery — Evergreen Cemetery Association was established in 1891 according to the city<\/a>— that spans generations.<\/p>\n “My family has lived alongside the cemetery since 1948, and it was already considered full,” Veliz said.<\/p>\n While the works do feature headstones, crosses, ravens and lamb memorials that signify the graves of children, “Solstice” is not a morbid collection. It also depicts radiant light, bald eagles and other signs of life, which matches the vibrant downtown cemetery Veliz knows.<\/p>\n “You see people there,” Veliz said. “Kids climb trees. Kids go sledding. There’s a lot of charm about it.”<\/p>\n “Solstice” was also envisioned as a way to tell Juneau’s colonial story in less-than-obvious ways.<\/p>\n “Evergreen Cemetery itself is an analogy of the history of Western Expansion across North America over Indigenous lands and broken treaties,” stated an explanation of the project shared by Veliz. <\/p>\n [Sitka cemetery caretaker talks about repatriating remains<\/a>]<\/ins><\/p>\n