wordplay
Set in Stone : The 22nd artwork in UC San Diego ’ s Stuart Collection , titled KAHNOP · TO TELL A STORY , by artist Ann Hamilton , draws upon the impassioned words of current and former university founders , faculty and alumni . The 800-foot-long pathway features more than 1,000 fragments of passages taken from over 300 publications ranging from books to poems and speeches . Though most of the work does not read in a linear fashion , astute walkers may notice an interwoven narrative . Learn more at stuartcollection . ucsd . edu
WORDPLAY
A new conversation-starter is currently being constructed that draws upon themes ranging from revolution and environmental activism to cultural mythology and technological advancement . The 800-foot-long pathway titled KAHNOP · TO TELL A STORY is set to become the new entryway to the campus , bisecting the forthcoming Pepper Canyon neighborhood . Conceived during the tenure of director emerita Beebe , the work is being finalized by Berlanga Taylor — an apt metaphor for the transition of new leadership to the collection .
As you walk along the pathway , you will discover a bed of words below your feet . Some words are raised like a rubber stamp , while others are engraved into the basalt stones . Flowing down the center is a spine of words , representing their repeated occurrence in multiple text sources which weave the lines together . Though not a traditional concordance — a tool dating back to the 16th century to index words within a text — the artwork does serve as a link to discovering the writings of some of UC San Diego ’ s most influential people .
Visitors will likely never experience the same stroll twice . Creator Ann Hamilton describes the experience : “ Every day your gaze will catch different words or fragments depending on where your eye falls or the state of your own attention .”
For passersby who are moved by a particular passage , they can uncover the source through a website created in partnership with the UC San Diego Library . Hamilton worked with the Special Collections & Archives team to identify current and former faculty , university founders , prominent alumni and other innovative thinkers who have ties to UC San Diego . In all , 1,300 quotes from an estimated 300 sources were selected for inclusion .
After learning about the regional history of the Kumeyaay Nation , Hamilton commissioned Eva Trujillo ’ 20 , from the Mesa Band of Mission Indians , and graduate student Alexandria Hunter , an enrolled member from Jamul Indian Village , to compose a poem that would anchor the piece in Native culture . Their feminist poem , Yeechesh Cha ’ alk ( A Woman ’ s Heart ), is interspersed with words from the Kumeyaay language . “ It was a natural choice to share the life of Sinyahow , the first woman , and the essence of what she brings to Kumeyaay women ,” explained the authors . “ Her story is our story , and the events of her life have shaped the ceremonies , oral traditions and cultural lifeways of the Kumeyaay people .”
The name of the work itself denotes the collaborative weaving of ideas , experiences and languages that make the work meaningful . The title bridges the two languages , with the Kumeyaay word “ kahnop ” and its English translation , “ to tell a story .” Hamilton is thrilled to see it come to life as Pepper Canyon construction concludes at the end of this year . •
UC SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE 15