2010
01.31
01.31
RNA writes the code that DNA holds. And we are the story it tells.
—Chelsie Senholtz
—Chelsie Senholtz
DNA Blues
I am everyone
Yet I am no one
I drift along the sea of life
A mixture of different beats
I dance to my own
Indian
Japanese
Native American
German and French
What does that even mean?
Does it really matter?
Sitting alone on a park bench, I watch the people walk by
Could I have been one of them?
I guess so
But would it be the same?
A long time ago a fish crawled onto land
That fish became a frog
That became a bird
Who became a monkey
Who became a man
And here I sit contemplating the mysteries of life
RNA writes the code that DNA holds
And we are the story that it tells
—Chelsie Senholtz
This poem is influence by my deep respect and admiration of science. It is the glue that holds the universe together. I have always been particularly facinated by genetics and evolution, which is what this poem is mostly about. I think we need to understand these things to understand the universe and our place in it. DNA is one of the things that links us all toegether (even though each strand is unique). That’s the beauty of it. All of my poetry has varying degrees of scientific theme. My book is just that—an exploration, spiritually, philosophically, and scientificaly of life and our place in the universe. And for the most part my photography is visual representation of those same themes.
I took this particular photograph while I was walking along the bike path near where I lived in Missoula, MT. On this particular day, I was feeling very connected with the universe. I probably walked past this spot several times without noticing what was written on this wood post, but that day it caught my eye. I later used this piece in one of my shows that I did at a local café called Dauphines. The show was titled, the things that count. This photo is also part of my book titled, E=MC what (Explorations into the nature of reality).
This photo and the show were inspired by this poem from the book.
THE THINGS THAT COUNT
The love of my family of friends
The chances that I have been given in life
The ability to touch others and be touched by them
The grass I’m sitting on and the tree I am sitting under
The colors that surround me
And t he fact that I can slow down enough to really feel them
My art and those who appreciate it
The people that have come in and out of my life
This moment right now
Excellent work, Matt.
The photo captures a desire for connection in desolation.
The writings are interesting in finding beauty and meaning in science, something I consider stark and impersonal. Science is fascinating but indiscriminate.
lori
Thanks. I just published my book on blurb.com. You can get a preview of the first 15 pages or buy the book online. http://www.blurb.com. It’s titled E=MC (what). Or you can look up my name (Chelsie Senholtz).