McDonald, who came to Towanda two decades ago after living in Philadelphia, West Hartford, Connecticut, and New York City, has been interested in art all his life. He told the students he has been collecting South African artist Pier Makonda’s art for about five years, with each only costing about the price of a “tank of gas.” The artist uses recycled materials and magic marker to create beauty in a world of difficulty.
McDonald offered the loan of his collection for display because he wanted to share some of his collection with young people and get them interested in art as well.
McDonald did an amazing job doing just that.
One student walked into the planetarium-converted-to-art-gallery and immediately declared, “That is woke!” slang for being aware or “knowing what's going on in the community" according to the Urban Dictionary. Students circulated among the artworks, some returning again and again to ones which really engaged them. They were invited to give each a title of their own choosing, leaving their ideas on cards beside the works. For example, Veronica Chilson gave one the title of “Nightmare in the Village” because of its images of nocturnal threats surrounding a child. The same work was “Last Hope” to Fred Patrone who noted the series of men fighting along its border. Noah Manuel called another “Battle in the Afterlife” because its images of life in post-Apartheid South Africa included troubling colors and symbols of life and death. Samantha Little was drawn to another image which she called “Escape” because it seemed to show a family surrounded by red, threatening mountains but with the hope of driving away from the chaos. Kinsley Mosier’s called one “Daily Fight” because it captured the artist Pier Makonda’s intention to show the difficulties that modern South Africans face. Samantha Little, another student with almost the same reaction, noted: “What drew me was the story it [the art] tells” about “the hunger and starvation” of South Africa.
The artist continues to live in South Africa, even though he could leave. Makonda has friends in the U.S., including a girlfriend who lives in Seattle. Yet, as McDonald explained to Towanda’s students, Makonda wants to “be the change” he wants to see in South Africa so he stays in the country he loves and tries to communicate through his art. Calling one work, “Stand Against Evil, “ Madison Skidgel summed up Makonda’s optimism and his hope for South Africa. Skidgel said the work seemed to say, “Do the best you can to fight off evil; don’t leave yourself defenseless because you never know what could happen, but don’t be afraid of the problems you face.”