An Interview with John Epp, UAM Collections Intern, Public History Graduate Program and Abby Kirchert, project participant from Hadley-Luzerne Central High School, conducted January 2019
John Epp: How old were you in 1998 when you started this project with Tim Rollins?
Abby Kirchert: 15 years old.
JE: By 1998 Tim Rollins and Kids of Survival were quite well known. Did you know anything about them when you were selected to work on making art with them?
AK: I didn't know anything about them. At the time, we didn't have smartphones and Google didn't exist, but my teacher, Mr. King, was very excited about the opportunity. He told us all about their history and took us to see some of their works that were on display.
JE: Where you excited for the opportunity to work with Tim Rollins? What were your impressions before you started? And did your impressions change over the course of the project?
AK: I was very excited to work with Tim Rollins, I had no idea what to expect.
Tim Rollins was serious and dedicated to the piece, even before it was created. I remember the first day he wore a suit and tie. He spoke to us about the goals of the project, and he had made it a requirement for us to read the play, at least Cliff Notes.
Aside from painting, that first day he also educated us on being good listeners and active participants — not yawning if someone is speaking, and maintaining eye contact. I took it all very seriously because it was Tim Rollins! Also, he told us his tie was a gift from Andy Warhol, and that definitely got everyone's attention.
JE: How interested were you in art in 1998? Did this project help you later in life, in your education or your career?
AK: I was very interested in art at the time, but I had not thought outside the box the way we did for this project. It inspired me to consider mixed media and telling a whole story within a piece. We painted magical flowers with fruit juice, and they didn't need to look like a regular flower because they were magical! We added them to book pages from the play and topped them with mustard seeds — it was definitely different than anything I had done before.
On the last day, Tim Rollins gave us all his contact information and promised to be a reference for school or work or art if we ever needed. He shared how K.O.S. and creating artwork can change people for the best or challenge their way of thinking. It was truly a pleasure to be in his company.
I am still an artist, and I also have taken up a passion for community involvement. I currently work at a local community center and contribute to an after-school program for at-risk youths.