Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, April 20, 1995 TAG: 9504210062
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: STACY JONES STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
The first public exhibition of his works will take place Saturday in one of the world's biggest galleries - The Mall in Washington.
The 24-year-old ``environmental constructionist'' from Floyd County will display three pieces at March for Parks in conjunction with the 25th anniversary celebration of Earth Day.
"I always wanted to do something for Earth Day," said Rogers, who has spent the last four years conceptualizing his Earth Day creations. "It worked, which blew me away."
Rogers, who grew up in Winchester, wasn't trained to be an artist. He had done apprenticeships, but worked mostly in isolation from other artists. As he educated himself and began to look for outlets for his ideas, he found out he was not alone.
``It surprised me to find other art like mine,'' he laughed. ``I realized I wasn't so unique.
``It was neat. I knew I wasn't totally crazy. I had something to legitimize my work.'' said Rogers.
Another confirmation of his potential came from Ellen Wilson, education program manager for the National Parks and Conservation Association in Washington. She responded to one of his queries and ended up commissioning Rogers to create three pieces for the Association's March for Parks. The Association's commemoration ties in with ``all the hoopla down on the Mall,'' Wilson said.
One of Rogers' works is ``Earth Nest,'' a 30' X 10' ``human nest'' made of materials from the Montgomery County landfill.
``I liked the nest idea,'' said Wilson. ``You know, nests being homes, like Earth is home, like the environment is home. Because the connect was so perfect, we fell in love with the idea and ran with it.''
Given the go ahead and financial backing to turn his small prototypes into large-scale statements, Rogers used the refuse of the Earth - natural and man-made - to convey his concerns about mother Earth.
He used a variety of tree brush and grapevine from in the Montgomery County landfill. He thought it senseless to search the woods looking for branches and grasses when ``there are piles of stuff just laying there'' in the landfill.
``I got this buffet of brush,'' Rogers joked. ``I think I'm the only one who takes anything away from this place.''
He began gathering the materials three months ago, then hired four men to help him organize the different types of brush and put them into bundles that are laid like bricks to build the nest.
In addition to the woody exterior of the enormous nest, the interior will be carpeted with grasses, sea gull feathers, wild flowers, dogwood and redbud.
``I want it to be a sanctuary'' from the harshness and excesses of today's world, said Rogers. It also represents Rogers' voluntary withdrawal from the excesses in his own life.
He is a vegetarian, ``to minimize my consumption.'' When he first moved to Floyd ``to be closer to nature,'' he lived in a cabin without hot water and electricity.
``When I was growing up, I was never in a house that didn't have wall-to-wall carpeting,'' Rogers said. ``I bought into the system, that whole suburban lifestyle.''
Without all the extras in society, Rogers believes, ``you realize what your real needs are.''
``Now I can build a life based on my true values,'' he said.
While Wilson doesn't live such a pared down life, she thought Rogers was asking the right questions with his work. She said another of his constructions, called, ``Synthetic Nest,'' confronts viewers and demands that they address the realities of their surroundings.
The nest, composed of copper tubing, wire fencing and sheet metal, is filled with shredded computer paper and duct tape, among other things. Comparing it to the more inviting, natural ``Earth Nest,'' Wilson asked, ``Where would you rather live?''
"It's a visual pun," explained Rogers. "Here's a soft, comfortable place that is uninhabitable. What are we trying to create in a home environment?"
More important to Rogers than having his art shown is the chance to educate the public on environmental issues. He wants individuals to interact with his works and be moved to participate in improving the environment.
Visitors to ``Earth Nest'' will have the opportunity to commit themselves in writing on fabric recycled from plastic bottles and then weave them into the landfill-made lair.
``This is more meaningful than just having them sign something,'' said Wilson. ``This personalizes the action and shows that they have thought about what they can do. It shows that they have made a commitment.''
``It's not often you get a chance to influence people,'' Rogers said. ``I hope [the art] starts a dialogue about the fragility of the Earth and instigates more responsibility.''
Wilson was less patient. ``I want people to understand that this is serious,'' she said. ``Now is the time to take action.''
Although Rogers has simplified his own existence, he understands that most people have no desire to live so minimally.
``No one wants to live like a savage,'' he said. ``But we can't disregard the natural environment. It's what sustains us.''
``I don't know the answer,'' he admitted. ``I just hope to inspire the dialogue.''
As the countdown to showtime began, Rogers was feeling the weight of his responsibilities. His third piece, ``Tree of Life,'' a sculpture comprised of chestnut embedded with malachite and imitation diamonds, was not complete when he was interviewed.
"I wish I could enjoy this more, but I have so much to do," he lamented.
Still, Rogers felt fortunate for the launching he has received.
``Sometimes, in life, you see a door you'd like to go through and it's locked, or you open the door and it has a chain on it,'' he said. ``This time I opened the door and they said `come in'.''
by CNB