“Playtime” was originally exhibited in 2018 as one of three installations in my show, “Sanctuary.” In this piece, I was specifically asking about the meaning of sanctuary in the context of children and violence. Children were (and are) being shot at different borders, and while I was making the piece there was a school shooting in Eastern Washington in the tiny town of Rockford. Yet, would people connect with the installation? Were they too worn out with all the horrors? Two weeks after “Playtime” was installed, the shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School took place. There was no doubt – the issues in “Playtime” were relevant as hell.

And now, 10 years after Sandy Hook and 4 years after Parkland, and the many other school shootings in which our precious children and teachers have been lost, we continue to prize the right to shoot children over instead prizing their lives. Are we insisting that women have children just so shooters can engage in target practice? I am sickened and disheartened.

I would love to show this again right now. In the meantime, please see other details of the piece under “Installations” on my website: https://www.myrawclark.com/installations/17wannwfywh5cceqkq3nmmcrhsiw99