In grand commemoration of The Church’s opening of its new exhibition “Eternal Testament” on Saturday, March 22, co-curators Jeremy Dennis and Meranda Roberts have created an electric series of events that will inspire, delight and inform all on the topic of the show. The run down is:
5 to 6 p.m. — Panel Discussion With Jeremy Dennis, Meranda Roberts & Denise Silva Dennis
Join the show’s two co-curators on the lower studio level of The Church for a conversation with artist Denise Silva Dennis (Jeremy Dennis’s mother). The trio will dive deeper into some of the themes, intentions and inspirations for the show, providing guests a unique opportunity of insights before seeing the show. The exhibition invites audiences to “reconsider their perceptions of Eastern Long Island in a way that positively engages with Indigenous history and the land we occupy,” according to the curators. A brief Q&A follows.
6 p.m. — Drumming Processional With Jeffrey Pegram
At the end of the panel discussion, participants will be led up to the exhibition via a performance by contemporary Native TSALAGI Nation (Cherokee) singer and composer Jeffry Pegram. Nominated for various Indigenous music awards and a historian of Native American culture, the multitalented speaker and lecturer invites all people into the gallery to reflect, contemplate and expand their awareness.
6:30 p.m. – Elisa Harkins Performance
Elisa Harkins (Cherokee, Muscogee) will present a 15-minute performance of Indigenous hymns and hand-drum songs, transforming the former church — on the homelands of the Montaukett and Shinnecock Nations — into a site of Indigenous presence and resistance. Rooted in language revitalization and Indigenous musical traditions, her work challenges the church’s colonial history of forced assimilation while amplifying themes of sovereignty and reclamation central to “Eternal Testament.” By filling the space with Indigenous sound, Harkins unsettles historical narratives and invites audiences to reconsider their relationship to land, spirituality and power.
Tickets to the events are free for everyone (RSVP required for panel discussion). The exhibition remains on view through May 21. The Church is at 48 Madison Street in Sag Harbor.
Staff Writer on Mar 12, 2025