a climber’s life

Patrick Savageau → A Memorial Exhibition

EAST QUAD ART GALLERY, ANN ARBORTWENTY YEARS, EIGHT MONTHS AND FOUR DAYS

• LIFE LINE – DETAIL OF BOX 13

This exhibition celebrates the life of my son Patrick Savageau.

Even though it spanned only twenty years, eight months, and four days, it was an exceptionally rich and varied life. Pat managed to pursue more interests and activities in those twenty years than many of us do in a lifetime. As you will see in this exhibition. Pat was interested in almost everything, from exotic plants and animals, to architecture, inventions, sports, and of course, climbing in some of the most spectacular natural settings in the world.

Pat’s life was a great gift to everyone he met and knew, and particularly to his immediate family. We feel blessed to have known and loved him; he enriched our lives beyond measure.

Exhibition announcement for A Climber's Life — Exhibition announcement, Residential College, University of Michigan

It is far better to have known and loved him for twenty years, than not to have known him at all.

ANN SAVAGEAU

01 • LIFE LINE

A tribute to a life lived out loud and without apology.

Eighteen boxes, each one built around a year of Patrick’s life, from his first year onward.

A Life Line box seen large, bleeding to the right edge — YEAR 1

02 • MEMORIAL GALLERY

Patrick’s climbing gear was bronzed and placed on the floor.

It lies under a photograph of him placed behind a mirror. The silver finish of the mirror was partially removed so viewers can see their own faces superimposed on Patrick’s face.

A photograph behind a partially silvered mirror above bronzed climbing gear — Photograph behind a mirror, bronzed climbing gear

Climbing Wall Memories installed across the gallery wall — Climbing Wall Memories

Climbers' knots tied and mounted — Climbers’ Knots

• PRAYER FLAGS

03 • PRAYER FLAGS

Nearly 200 friends and family members donated prayer flags.

They were inspired by Tibetan Buddhist prayer flags, which come in five traditional colors for the five elements: yellow (earth), red (fire), blue (sky), and green (air and wind). The flags are typically prayers and mantras for protection, happiness and enlightenment. As the wind moves over the flags, the prayers are carried to all living beings, including the people who create the flags. Their benefits are received in this life as well as in the life to come.

A yellow prayer flag signed by the Dalai Lama — The yellow flag is a copy of one signed personally by the Dalai Lama for this exhibition.

As we celebrate his life through this exhibition, we know that Pat is with us, giving us comfort, inspiration and the will to live our lives to the fullest, as he did. We can only imagine that he is at this moment conquering ever more challenging heights, and waiting for us.

And so we say not goodbye, but until we meet again, dearest Patrick.

ANN SAVAGEAU