Last week I finally visited the Fleming Museum’s exhibition “Small Worlds”. I didn’t want to miss it since I’ve never lost my childhood fascination for objects and environments sized down to fit a tinier self.

Miniature sculptures from Matt Neckers’ Vermont International Museum of Contemporary Art + Design

The added significance of small-scale representations (at this ripe age) is they are a way of revisiting and reconnecting with childhood imagination, in addition to being a kind of heaven for anyone who loves details. This exhibition shows that I am not the only one enchanted by a world in miniature, nor am I alone in appreciating the range of possibilities such models present for those who like to dream about and play with manipulating the world as they see fit.

The work of two of the artists stood out.

Mohamad Hafez makes emotionally moving replicas of Syrian buildings on a tiny scale. Marred by war’s destruction, these model buildings uphold a hopeful connection with the former stability and implied lives of those who once inhabited them. Each piece reverberates with a sense of nostalgia and homesickness for the home Hafez may never be able to return to. As an architect, he represents in minute detail the beauty of Syrian architecture, yet that is but one element of the work’s power.

Mohamad Hafez, Hiraeth, 2016, Plaster, paint, antique toy tricycle, found objects, rusted metal, and antique wood veneer, 61 x 35 x 21 inches

The piece above is movingly entitled Hiraeth, a word that means a longing for one’s homeland — not mere homesickness, but an expression of the bond one feels with one’s home country when separated from it. The work sharply personifies the devastation of a conflict we only read about from safety and distance.

You may have already seen Matt Neckers’ work which has traveled across Vermont in the form of The Vermont International Museum of Contemporary Art + Design (VTIMoCA+D), a tongue-in-cheek series of mini art galleries contained within a vintage camper. I loved my dollhouse growing up, but as I think back on it, the miniature environment fascinated me more than whatever stories I was concocting with my dolls, and Neckers’ museum satisfies that purpose as well. His tiny galleries, complete with self-created contemporary artwork, are contained within antique suitcases and a vintage refrigerator; I love the idea of a world created in an unexpected space, making its discovery all the more magical.

Matt Neckers, VTIMoCA+D, Suitcase Gallery I, 2018, Suitcase, wood, glue, various miniature artworks, created in a variety of media

Neckers’ pieces balance between being serious enough to maintain credibility without losing their merry playfulness — it’s an enjoyable line for viewers to straddle.

There was a third piece, made by Allison May Kiphuth, that caught my attention, but the reason had nothing to do with scale. Come back next week to learn what I mean.

❖

And since we’re on the subject of miniatures…
When we were in Amsterdam several years ago, I was determined to get to the Central Library to see the Mouse Mansion on display there. Downstairs, in the children’s department, is a magical world in miniature that will captivate a child of any age. Over 6 feet wide and more than 9 feet tall, this conglomeration of over one hundred intricately appointed rooms was built over a period of years by Karina Shaapman. One can easily get lost in the myriad details. It’s definitely worth putting on your checklist for your next trip to Amsterdam.

Karina Shaapman, Mouse Mansion

Karina Shaapman, Mouse Mansion