Central Illinois Mearcstapas: Recent Episodes
Rachel Beckett
A mearcstapa is a border-walker/stalker between cultures. They live on the edge of their groups as artists who are uncomfortable in homogeneous societies. Central Illinois contains many lost mearcstapas—the majority of whom are lost, forgotten, or altogether culturally ostracized. "Artists on the margins of various groups can be deputized (not conscripted) to represent tribal identities while still being messengers of hope and reconciliation to a divided culture" (Makoto Fujimura). Through these outlets, I hope to prove to Central Illinoisians that their mearcstapas are those whom they are to embrace, celebrate, and collaborate with to generate culture. Fujimura knew that "Christ, the Light of the world, is the ultimate mearcstapa, a shepherd-artist, border-stalking our tribal existence and bringing the light of the good news from the new tribe that is already here and yet to come." [This podcast is a companion to my new online magazine (coming soon) with the same title.]
Last weekend, I went Christmas shopping in our small hometown with my 11-year-old- daughter. We worked our way through a few of our favorite locations. She found a few small trinkets at a local gift shop, I found some gently used clothing for her siblings at a resale store, and we took home two Christmas-themed yard decorations to give to my mother and mother-in-law. Of course, we had worked up an appetite, so we made a stop at a local food truck for spicy cheese curds and burgers. It was parked near the drama club theater.....
We ended the day with round bellies and flat wallets. But what did our money support?
Our shopping trip was a failure in culture care....
Fujimura, Makoto. Culture Care. Available from: Liberty University Online Bookshelf, InterVarsity Press, 2017.
People in the world today spend their time and energy perfecting their skills and knowledge in one specific area. However, this way stands against the ideals of a liberal arts education, that people learn to be well-rounded in different subjects. Such hyperspecialization reduces the world of art into mechanical tasks that are void of the human experience.
Just as industry has polluted our nation's rivers, so does commercialization pollute culture and art.
We owe much to the industrial revolution. However, progress was traded for the ideology of efficiency and mass consumption.
The visual arts began as a place of personal expression untethered to commercial success. Artists are reduced to giving buyers what they want and expect instead of asking tough questions.
We must not forget that our souls must receive nourishment (just as much as our bodies). Beauty is an important nutrient that feeds personal growth that pours into the making of a greater vision for civilization.
References:
FCPS. (2014). FCPS World II sol standards: WHII 9C social effects of the ... Loudoun County Public Schools. Retrieved from https://www.lcps.org/cms/lib4/VA01000195/Centricity/Domain/10599/Social%20Effects%20of%20the%20Industrial%20Revolution.pdf.
Wisman, J. (2019). The fundamental character of socioeconomic exploitation: Human nature, technology, social institutions, and ideology. Taylor & Francis. Retrieved November 3, 2021, from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00213624.2019.1657356?journalCode=mjei20.