The Parrish Art Museum will take part in People’s State of the Union Story Circle, an annual civic ritual and participatory art project, with a free public event this Friday.
The U.S. Department of Arts and Culture—an artists’ collective that is neither an official agency nor affiliated in any way with the federal government—conceived of the idea and is encouraging individuals and groups to host Story Circles around the country between January 27 and February 5.
The museum in Water Mill has invited all members of the East End community to share their stories and reflect on the “state of the union”—which is also the name of the annual address the president gives to a joint session of Congress.
“The Story Circle aims to create a space for sharing and listening and to bring together our communities at the Parrish,” said Corinne Erni, the curator of special projects at the Parrish. “It is open to everyone who cares about the condition of our nation and wants to have a voice, and we encourage all members of the community to participate.”
In the Parrish’s Lichtenstein Theater, participants will gather in small circles of about eight people each to tell stories and discuss topics in a conversation facilitated by a moderator. The stories will be collected into a body of work and uploaded to an online platform where they can be searched and shared. Additionally, the Parrish will invite poets from the East End to compose works inspired by the stories, with a poetry reading planned April 7 at the museum.
The event is open to East End residents age 15 and older. No preparation is necessary.
Story Circle will begin at 6 p.m. on Friday, January 27. Reservations are required. Visit parrishart.org or email info@parrishart.org for more information and to RSVP.
on Jan 24, 2017