The Creation

The word creation evokes a godlike act, one that many artists are deeply familiar with. Imagine then gathering an animated group within the shared incubation of Pyramid Atlantic’s studio environment and creating a work in unison that addresses the very act of creation. This folio of seven screenprints with digital chine colles and watermarks is the culmination of sixty voices gathered together by Helen Frederick, who invited Tim Rollins + K.O.S (Kids of Survival) for a residency spanning one year. Inspired by Franz Josef Haydn’s “The Creation” oratorio of 1798, Rollins + K.O.S. members collaborated with Washington, D.C. metropolitan area students from elementary, middle, high school and George Mason University along with master printmaker Pepe Coronado, papermaker Mary Ashton, curators Andrea Pollan and Milena Kalinovska.

One of Haydn’s most enduring masterpieces, “The Creation” is based upon the biblical account of the first seven days as recounted in Genesis and John Milton’s “Paradise Lost”. Narrated by the three archangels Gabriel, Uriel, and Raphael, the story moves from the void, a situation of no substance, to the momentous appearance of first light and the ensuing emergence of heaven, earth, land, sea, plants, and animals. It concludes with the appearance of Adam and Eve in a state of grace.

Rollins encouraged the group to investigate ideas of creation, including researches into the big bang theory and images collected by the Hubbell telescope. Rather than illustrate this story sequentially, the group decided to have the artworks allude to the essence of the story. This spirit carried through the entire lengthy collaboration as they listened repeatedly to the music and peeled apart the score to delve into such rich themes as “The Representation of Chaos,” “Let there be light,” and “The marv’lous work behold.”

This folio is the work of many ideas, hands, and eyes following a trajectory of structured intuition based on progressive educational principles. Rollins gave each individual the freedom to voice an opinion in an open and encouraging environment. Together, the group selected the works that sang to them. Sometimes harmonious, sometimes stormy, the process of collaboration
found them discarding their individual identities and uniting with a shared purpose. Ultimately each one reached deep within to find what poet Rainer Maria Rilke called the “inner necessity” of creation.

Participants in “The Creation” Folio

Tim Rollins + K.O.S.

Nelson Rick Savinon, born 1971 Adam Decroix, born 1973 Angel Abreu, born 1974 Victor Llanos, born 1976 Robert Branch, born 1977 Jorge Abreu, born 1979 Emanuel Carvajal, born 1981 Daniel Castillo, born 1982 Cedric Constant, born 1983
Che Addison, born 1984 Pedro Herrera, born 1990 Alexander DeJesus, born 1981
Miguel Castillo, born 1979 Ala Ebtekar, born 1977 Joseph Lozano, born 1983

Mary Ashton Master Papermaker, Pyramid Atlantic
Pepe Coronado Master Printer, Pyramid Atlantic
Helen Frederick Executive Artistic Director, Pyramid Atlantic
Milena Kalinovska Education Supervisor
Yukie Kobayashi Studio Assistant, Pyramid Atlantic
Matthew Michel Printer
Andrea Pollan Curator of Exhibition

George Mason University Art and Visual Technology Students

Sarah DeWitt Natalie Guerrieri Meredith Harris
Larry Issa Steve Kozcara Lisa McCarty
Mahogany Murray Susan Noyes Kathleen O'Leary
Susan Serafin Maureen Tucker

Professor Jerry Clapsaddle Honors Program Student Coordinator

Elementary, Middle & High School Students from Washington, DC Metropolitan Area

Brian Anleu, born 1988 May-Lissa Berger, born 1989 Justin Ellzey, born 1992 Efren Fuentes, born 1990 Mandy Graves, born 1993 Luis Hernandez, born 1990 Saul Hernandez, born 1987 Darion Hicks, born 1995 Sandra Hincapie, born 1987 Alexis McIntosh, born 1993 Michael Milano, born 1987 Anthony Pape-Calabrese, 1991
Anna Retherford, born 1988 Eric Trinidad, born 1987 Jan Vanous, born 1992 Milena Vanous, born 1986 •

Teachers and Parents from Washington, DC Metropolitan Area

Janet Berry Walter Johnson High School Bethesda, MD
Patty Broda Wheaton High School Silver Spring, MD
Gary Cousin College Garden Elementary School Greenbelt, MD
Liz Goins Eastern Middle School Silver Spring, MD
Carlos Guapetera Bancroft Elementary School Washington, DC
Nikkol Hicks Parent Silver Spring, MD
Ann-Marie Lyddane Springbrook High School Silver Spring, MD
Roberta Staat Montgomery Blair High School Silver Spring, MD