Keeley Hagen – Site Specific

04/20/26

Initial Ideas and Sketches

    I've been scratching my head about this project for quite some time, but once I had time to visit the building and take some photos, ideas for this site-specific piece came to me right away. When I first pulled up, I was immediately struck by the sight of an imposing black metal gate. I totally understand why it needs to be there for security reasons, but it was intimidating. I was deterred from entering in any way. I wondered if there was anything a public art project could do to maybe lighten that a bit. To light a path for survivors and ensure that they felt comfortable enough to walk into that space to receive help. 

    I still want to sit down with the individuals who work at the SAFE Project to understand the overall limitations. Whether a project like this would be logical and would uphold the safety and privacy measures they already maintain. Also, present the project as one that could be worked on with the survivors they've helped or housed, so they can leave a more lasting mark on the world. Nothing identifiable, of course, but being a part of the overall project so that it signifies what they've overcome. Which is why I have a meeting with them on Thursday to possibly fully flesh out an idea and see if it could become an actual project! (Very exciting, but we'll have to figure out costs and funding, etc)

Here is a little script I wrote out before making the phone call:

Hi. My name is Keeley Hagen, and I am a student at the University of Wyoming Visual Arts department. I was given an assignment to create a site-specific piece somewhere in Laramie. The majority of my work centers around violence against women, and with research, I found your project. Before I get into the details of what I hope to accomplish, I do want to note that this entire project is just a mock-up and won't actually come to fruition. Unless, of course, you are interested in any of the designs and concepts I create while working on this assignment. From your website, I got your mission statement, and I want to begin to create work that is more supportive of victims and survivors rather than detailing my own experience as a woman dealing with the normalization of violence in society. Creating better outreach and extending the overall voice of my work from me to many other victims. I was calling today to just see what that could look like or if it was even a possibility. 

Here is some light inspiration I have been looking at that is related to dealing with situations that SAFE Project does:

Beaten with a Hammer by Bettina Landgrebe.

The month of October is the month of Domestic Violence Awareness, and a candlelight vigil is often held for both victims and survivors of DV. I was thinking of incorporating light in an outdoor installation to hold a vigil every single day for victims and survivors of violence. I think it could also act as a way to light the pathway forward to receive the necessary help and the support of everyone who came before. Here are some inspirational photos for that:

04/14/26

Thoughts and Prayers

    Scratch everything from my original post because I have a new idea that requires some work to be done before I can come up with the idea. I want to work with the Albany County SAFE Project, whose mission is to empower and advocate for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking while promoting sustainable practices that support long-term healing. They are also focused on educating and bringing awareness to prevention, improved community response, and outcomes in Albany County. To approach this project seriously, I want to meet with those who work at the Laramie office because I do want to place this piece there. Which means I need to see what that looks like and talk with them to figure out exactly what this piece could look like. 

 04/05/26

Ideation & Initial Sketches:

    When I first started thinking about this project last week, many of my initial location ideas were quickly ruled out. My current body of work explores violence against women, and I initially wanted to find a location that could continue to uphold those themes and fit within my overall portfolio. While researching what Laramie had to offer, I came to a single conclusion. Many of the available resources are discreet and kept under wraps, and for good reason. When dealing with situations of domestic violence, sexual violence, and even stalking, women are searching for shelter or a place to hide. Public art or site-specific art wouldn't benefit these shelters or locations in any way. So I quickly turned away from that idea. 

    Another thought I had was to work within the space of these shelters. This would allow it to remain more low-profile and enable the women within those spheres and situations to participate in the installation itself. I really do love this idea, but I wonder what that process would look like. Especially since I have no idea what the space looks like and would have to pull some strings to figure and put that whole initial meeting together. (If anyone has any further information or ideas on how to move forward with this piece, I'd love to hear! I think even if it isn't what I end up presenting, it will be a plan I can move forward with outside of just this class.)

    Another feasible option that could be more thought-provoking for the community as a whole is to fabricate a site-specific piece for the Women's Health Clinic at Ivinson or the Wyoming Women's History House. I need to do more specific research on

each one. 

    For both sites, I want to incorporate women's voices. I think the one located in the clinic should have tones that are hopeful and comforting because many procedures related to feminine care can be intimidating and sometimes scary. How could an installation in the waiting room help uplift women going through those experiences, and how can we continue to push for more research and greater dedication to women's health as a whole? Maybe the tones or information presented in the History house could be more serious or depict individual stories told by women currently living in Wyoming. Bridging the gap between generations and allowing for stories from the past and present to coexist. 

    I am going to begin sketching tomorrow to get my head around exactly what I want to do. The more I ideate currently, the more ideas I have. I also have no idea what the inside of both of these locations looks like, so I intend to either find decent images online or go to the sites myself to create my own documentation.