Everything at Once was a temporary public art piece by Mary Mattingly that encouraged viewers to reflect on reconciliation, public space, and collective responsibility by reimagining military infrastructure. Inspired by living through the United States' longest war, Mattingly transformed a military vehicle into a living, evolving ecosystem over the course of a month, exploring intersections between the military, farming, industry, and education. Positioned at the Boulder Creative Collective as part of the 2016 Experiments in Public Art Program, the piece incorporated charred wood from a demolished school, symbolizing both loss and resilience. The installation invited visitors to navigate two rooms within the transformed trailer, one containing a reflection pool that served as a literal and metaphorical mirror for audiences to contemplate societal values and communal caretaking. The transformed space was open to the sky, reminiscent of a Jewish sukkah.
Mattingly began by scrubbing the vehicle clean, dismantling and reassembling it with contributions from local community members and designers who fashioned seating from vehicle parts. The work explored themes of interdependence and collective stewardship, encouraging audiences to consider how we care for those affected by trauma and violence. Mattingly’s intent was for visitors to spend time with the piece, engaging with it on their own terms through meditation, quiet reflection, or shared dialogue with others.
The installation aligned with the Boulder Creative Collective’s mission to foster artistic exploration and alternative engagement with art. Directors Kelly Russack and Addrienne Amato saw Everything at Once as perfectly suited to their space, allowing Mattingly’s vision of an interactive, immersive piece to come to life. In addition to invoking systemic change, Mattingly’s work illustrated how military infrastructure could permeate and reshape spaces into new forms fostering life, growth, and community, inviting audiences to reimagine public art as a tool for both personal reflection and social transformation.
