Through the Window: My experience as a woman living in The Boom | An installation by Jessica Christy

“Living in the midst of the massive Bakken Oil Patch boom, I was exposed to the collision of the natural world with the overwhelming human effect of the boom. This rhythm from nature is a strong force we’ve become accustomed to, an expected existence. Humans, once part of this rhythm are creating a dissonance, one that reverberates through this quiet instinct around us. We are loud. We are inventors, we are path-makers, and we are hardwearing. If we do not change our actions, we will also be alone.”

Through the Window is an installation of more than 150 boxes, each representative of an experience of Jessica Christy’s life as a woman living in the Bakken Oil Patch. The booming oil-based economy of North Dakota attracts an influx of workers, predominantly men. During the two years of living in the boom, she collected many stories and an abundant amount of articles, trash, and other fragments that challenge her way of life and her femininity. This resulted in an assemblage that explores gender roles, environmental impact, and the overall human condition.

Jessica Christy is a native North Dakotan, born to two artists on the Sanger Art Farm located at the northern edge of the Sheyenne River valley. She has shown her work extensively both regionally and nationally, winning numerous awards. She recently relocated to the Chicago area and works as a full-time artist.