On April 25, 2025, I visited the Katherine and Tom Belk Visual Arts Center at Davidson College to see Amelio Aragona’s senior exhibition “Where’s My Nice Bra?”. The exhibition aimed to capture Aragona’s interactions with patients he encountered while working as an EMT. Each piece displays how the absurdness of life is always evident, even in serious moments. This absurdness speaks to the authenticity that is present in life-or-death situations; social norms are ignored in these high-stakes situations. His pieces are playful, displaying bright colors and many resembling classic children’s toys. At the same time, his art elicits a solemn reaction from the viewer, as each piece is inspired by a momentary relationship he formed with someone in need. Each painting and sculpture encourages the viewer to consider who this person was and what happened to them after their brief encounter with Aragona.
Though the whole exhibit was eye-catching, the piece that held my attention was titled Dirty 30s. The sculpture was situated on an elevated white platform, about one foot off the ground. From afar the piece looked like a giant version of the classic game “jacks,” consisting of one big red ball and five jacks (though the game typically includes ten jacks). The game was set up on a foam mat made up of big colorful letters, a staple in kindergarten classrooms. However, the game pieces differed from the of jacks that one might have at home. The red ball appeared to be made out of human faces fused together and three of the jacks were covered with various noses, eyes, and mouths. The people on the ball are expressionless and appear to be either sleeping or dead. As the viewer, I was unsettled by the deconstructed faces.
The sculpture was placed in the middle of the gallery so that anyone could stand around it. It was not encased by glass or elevated out of reach. It was very open and accessible to anyone who entered the gallery. This placement made the piece feel interactive, as if Dirty 30s was inviting me over to participate in its game.
The name Dirty 30s could be referencing a variety of things, but one meaning sticks out to me: “Dirty Thirty” is a slang term referring to counterfeit 30-milligram oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl (“Dictionary.Com | Meanings & Definitions of English Words”). Consumption of these pills almost always leads to an overdose and potentially death. The name is significant because it connects the piece back to the original encounter between an EMT and a patient. The name reminds the viewer of Aragona’s motivation for creating this art: to express all that could be learned from his brief relationships with strangers in critical situations. Even if the person was not overdosing, the name helps to ground the piece in the context of a life-or-death situation. This context is important when considering why the game pieces are made with human characteristics.
In an actual game of jacks, a player must pick up a certain amount of jacks, using one hand, before the ball hits the ground. It gets harder as the game progresses, and in the last round, the player must pick up all 10 ten jacks in one hand. Understanding how the game is played adds another layer of nuance to the sculpture. The size of Dirty 30s makes it impossible to pick up all of the jacks. The game can never be won. This defeat signals to the viewer the impossible job of a first responder and the reality of being human. No matter how hard you try, you will never be able to pick up all of the jacks or save every person you encounter. The sculpture suggests that people must either change how they view success or modify the rules of the game to win. It is possible to pick up and save one jack by yourself, but it is only possible to pick up every game piece with the help of others. To win his life-sized game of jacks you must challenge the rules, in the same way that in life, the system is almost always flawed. Dirty 30s demonstrates that we must change how the game of life is typically played, for us all to win.
I believe this piece effectively conveys how Aragona felt in that specific situation with a patient, and how his experience as an EMT has shaped his outlook on life. Aragona shares these experiences because there is something we can all learn from these brief intimate moments. The message of Dirty 30s has a greater impact because at first, the message is hard to find. The unattainability of victory is disguised by bright colors and a children’s game. But the reality of the unbeatable game is always present in life. Working as an EMT, Aragona knows first-hand that not everyone can be saved, and like other first responders must carry this weight with him. Others can relate to this hopelessness through their own life experiences, knowing that the game is never fair. Aragona suggests, through his sculpture Dirty 30s, that we must find a different way to look at life and challenge the system that makes it impossible to win.
Aragona, Amelio. Dirty 30s.
Bibliography
Aragona, Amelio. Dirty 30s. 2025. Katherine and Tom Belk Visual Arts Center, Davidson.
“Dictionary.Com | Meanings & Definitions of English Words.” Dictionary.Com, 28 Apr. 2025, https://www.dictionary.com/browse/dirty-30.