Good In Everything: All the World's a Stage and Where the Sidewalk Ends

Poets and playwrights take inspiration from urban life and the natural world, hoping to find words to encompass the fullness of humanity. These companion shows, “All the World’s A Stage” and “Where the Sidewalk Ends,” bring together two ideas that highlight the human condition.

The original idea for this pair came from William Shakespeare’s play, “As You Like It”. The title of the first show comes from one of its best-known passages. In Act 2, Jacques says, “All the world’s stage and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances, and one man in his time plays many parts.” The emphasis of that speech is on the way people are viewed by others throughout their lives.
A lesser-known passage of “As You Like It” – in the same Act, but an earlier scene– helps to illustrate the opposite side of humanity, who we are when we aren’t surrounded by others. The speech by Duke Senior is about the serenity found in nature: “And this our life, exempt from public haunt, finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in everything.” Shakespeare’s words, first written and performed around the turn of the 17th Century, still feel true today.

Like Shakespeare, Shel Silverstein, a 20th-century poet, found inspiration in nature and his words capture the mood of the second exhibit. One of his most well-known poems speaks to his view of the natural world as vital for our peace of mind. These two exhibits, inspired by poetry, endeavor to provide a sense of the many sides of life.


ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE
Each of us has a life larger and more complex than others imagine. Every role we play is a side of ourselves that not everyone gets to see. We are children, siblings, friends, partners, coworkers, parents, students, teachers. But we also may be dancers, competitors, musicians, parade participants, elected officials, and any number of other characters throughout our lives. Our relationships with other people often define these roles. We rely upon one another; if someone doesn’t play their part, we may find it difficult to play ours. Navigating these social constructs is not always easy, but we outgrow some roles during our lives and hold on to others. One image, one performance, and one role will not define a person because, as William Shakespeare wrote, we all play many parts. “All the World’s A Stage” uses images from the museum’s photo archives to illustrate the many facets of people in public spaces.

WHERE THE SIDEWALK ENDS
“There is a place where the sidewalk ends
And before the street begins,
And there the grass grows soft and white,
And there the sun burns crimson bright,
And there the moon-bird rests from his flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.”
- Shel Silverstein, Where the Sidewalk Ends

Recent studies in ecopsychology show that spending time in nature can reduce stress and provide a sense of calmness in a busy mind. Despite ecopsychology being a relatively new field, people have noted various benefits of surrounding yourself with the natural world. Shel Silverstein’s poem Where the Sidewalk Ends speaks to the calmness people may experience while being out in nature. For as long as civilization has existed, some have found their peace away from society. In these images from the Photo Archives, the individuals may blend into the background or might be difficult to spot. The people are not necessarily the main subject of the image. These folks are not working, performing, or posing for the camera; they are relaxed. They’re simply being themselves within the natural environment. Many of the people in these photographs are facing away from the camera as if they’re shutting out the world and are taking responsibility only for their own experience while outdoors. To “leave this place where the smoke blows black and the dark streets wind and bend”, as Mr. Silverstein puts it, is to find oneself surrounded by the natural world far away from the busyness of urban life. This exhibit strives to evoke the serenity and tranquility you might get from being part of the landscape.