"I was learning about Japanese woodblocks and reading The Iliad in History, and I asked my science teacher if it would be possible for me to climb a wall [using a vacuum pack]. Then, when I learned about the Jeffrey Ahn, Jr. Fellowship for high school artists, I wanted to make something that combined all of my interests. I discussed it with my teachers and friends at school, and through many discussions, I proposed to create a wall of wood carvings that I could climb and make prints from.

 

"This wall depicts the contents of Achilles' Shield which is said to include all of the world. According to Greek myth, this shield was made by the best blacksmith ever to exist, Hephaestus. He made this glorious weapon for the nearly immortal Achilles for the Trojan War. This shield contains everything that exists in the world and thus, it contains all of the possibilities in the world. On my wall/shield, I have carved elements of the earth that includes animals and landscapes. There are also hidden words, so when I climb it, I will also make prints of the words, making them readable. These words are meant to be fortunes for my audience, who can receive words as I climb and drop the prints from up high.

 

"I climb this wall as Achilles with a vacuum pack that I created based on a design from Utah State University... When the vacuums are turned on, they create a combined suction that can support up to 200 lbs."

 

--Beckett Fine, JAJF '15

 

In October 2015, Beckett exhibited his Jeffrey Ahn, Jr. Fellowship project at 171 Elizabeth Street in New York.