The Ties That Bind Asheville
Dublin Core
Title
The Ties That Bind Asheville
Description
'The Ties That Bind Asheville' was a community art installation created after Tropical Storm Helene and active from May 29 through November 7, 2025. As lead artist and site tender, I shaped the project into a public space where people could tie cloth to a shared fence and take part in a simple act of connection.
After the storm, there were very few places in Western North Carolina where people could express hopes, worries, or wishes without feeling vulnerable. This installation offered that space. Visitors could engage in many ways—through the ritual, the shifting aesthetic of the cloth, curiosity about the process, or the desire to join a shared activity. The wind moving through the fabric and the steady expansion of the ties made the installation a recognizable landmark on Riverside Drive. Each tie held a personal story, while the whole became a living record of the season.
To make the project accessible, I also created offsite activations across Asheville. Participants tied cloth on portable frames at community gatherings and events. Every piece created offsite was brought back to the fence, connecting the wider community to the installation.
When the active phase ended, the project shifted to community stewardship. This transition followed an ethical framework rooted in consent, clarity, and care. That framework helped guide how the site was tended during the active period, even though the installation may now change as different hands engage with it. The project continues as a civic space shaped by the people who visit it, while honoring the original vision and the work that allowed it to grow.
After the storm, there were very few places in Western North Carolina where people could express hopes, worries, or wishes without feeling vulnerable. This installation offered that space. Visitors could engage in many ways—through the ritual, the shifting aesthetic of the cloth, curiosity about the process, or the desire to join a shared activity. The wind moving through the fabric and the steady expansion of the ties made the installation a recognizable landmark on Riverside Drive. Each tie held a personal story, while the whole became a living record of the season.
To make the project accessible, I also created offsite activations across Asheville. Participants tied cloth on portable frames at community gatherings and events. Every piece created offsite was brought back to the fence, connecting the wider community to the installation.
When the active phase ended, the project shifted to community stewardship. This transition followed an ethical framework rooted in consent, clarity, and care. That framework helped guide how the site was tended during the active period, even though the installation may now change as different hands engage with it. The project continues as a civic space shaped by the people who visit it, while honoring the original vision and the work that allowed it to grow.
Date
Language
English
Medium
Fabric strips, chain-link fence, community participation, regular tending, documentation
Still Image Item Type Metadata
Location
Collection
Tags
Citation
Emily Clanton, Lead Artist & Community Facilitator, “The Ties That Bind Asheville,” Come Hell or High Water Community Memory Project, accessed December 17, 2025, https://helenehistory.omeka.net/items/show/1329.