Emily Dickinson’s life and work inspire multi-disciplinary arts experience – April 2012 – National Poetry Month -in Midtown Kingston and elsewhere
What: E Equals is a multi-disciplinary arts experience planned for April 2012 (National Poetry Month) with a schedule of workshops, performances, installations and events that celebrate all things poetic. This project uses the historical context of Emily Dickinson’s life and work (A soul selects its own society…etc.) as a jumping off point that is intended to inspire exploration, revelation and illumination of the people, the places and the poetry of Midtown Kingston.
When: E Equals workshops began in the Fall 2011 and continued through March in educational facilities and community centers in Midtown Kingston. It culminates in installations and events at the Kingston Library and elsewhere during April 2012.
Why: In 2005 writer Casey Kurtti and artist Lara Giordano collaborated on an arts-in-education project at Kingston High School titled “Equality/Our Block”. Inspired by this art/performance project, Giordano, Kurtti and select artists and educators, designed this project for National Poetry Month.
Where: E Equals Artists and educators will be conducting workshops and culminating events in schools and community gathering places throughout Midtown Kingston-which remains for many a hidden treasure to be revealed.
About The Projects:
E Equals: Exhibit: Twelve contemporary Hudson Valley artists including Women’s Studio Workshop (WSW) book artists Edie Tsong, Sandra Turley and Abigail Wendler Uhteg, paintings and sculpture by Melora Kuhn who has exhibited extensively including recent exhibits in Germany and Korea, a video installation by 2011 NYFA Fellow Barb Smith, who is currently exhibiting at the Mesa Arts Center and the Bellvue Art Museum, two photo/history-based installations by Lori Van Houten who has exhibited regularly in the USA and Europe as well as work by Sarah Draney, Kristin Flynn, Lara Giordano, Ruth Leonard, Sandy Straus and Carrie Will.
Like the life and poetry of Emily Dickinson, E Equals: Exhibit honors both the small and the daily while at the same time illuminating the spiritual, sexual, and universal in woman’s work. Installed in a historic setting that suggests the poet’s home, the exhibit includes: photography, paintings, sculpture, video, installations and artists’ books thus providing a survey of current art practices and displaying the quality and depth of contemporary art in the Hudson Valley today. Highlights include:
April 5 – April 28, 2012, Thursday – Sunday, 12 – 6 pm. Artist Reception: April 14, 5-7 pm. Artists will be present at reception. At ProjectSpace,(Route 209), 3670 Main St. Stone Ridge, (behind Flemming Realty, directly north of the Stone Ridge Library)
E Equals: Arts-In-Ed: Led by Kingston High School art teacher Lara Giordano and playwright Casey Kurtti, a team of educators have conducted project based learning in the areas of science, humanities and art at J.W. Bailey Middle School, Kingston High School, Kingston Library and the Kingston Boys & Girls Club. Drawing upon Emily Dickinson’s love of gardens, her interest in science and her place in history, students have created a contemporary response that will be exhibited at the Kingston Library and at Kingston High School during the month of April 2012. Projects will include: Kingston Weed Folios, Cyanotypes, projections, Bulb graffiti, Middle School Superhero’s, etc.
E Equals: Poetic Profiling: Victorian inspired silhouettes and text were created from images of the residents and workers of Midtown. Two “sittings” were done at the Kingston Library in March where the community was captured in profile and text. The Poetic Profiles are installed at the Kingston Library, Kingston High School and various locations (TBD) in Midtown during April 2012.
E Equals: Performance: Book On Its Feet-a staged reading of book artist Tona Wilson’s “Stories Behind Bars” at the Kingston Library April 18th, 2012. “Stories Behind Bars” was inspired by the author’s experiences as a Spanish interpreter in the US courts. Actors include teachers, students from Kingston High School, Bard College as well as parishioners and clergy from Midtown churches. Reading will be directed by Bardavon/UPAC Executive Director Chris Silva.
E Equals: Took My Dog*. Poetic Dog-A-Thon !!! Carol Meyer, her certified R.E.A.D dog, Sophie, and writer Casey Kurtti used Emily Dickinson’s poem* “I started Early-Took my dog” as a jumping off point, to ponder and construct poems, and have a dog gone great time with Sophie. Selections from the workshop will be used as an installation at the Kingston Library.
E Equals: Metal Is the Word! Come to the Library on Saturday, April 21st and join metals artist Barb Smith, KHS art teacher Lara Giordano, playwright Casey Kurtti, students and fellow Mid-towners in a collaborative paper and metal installation of Emily Dickinson poetry intersecting with specially chosen Kingstonian words. Slamin’!
About National Poetry Month:
Inaugurated by the Academy of American Poets in 1996, National Poetry Month is now held every April, when publishers, booksellers, literary organizations, libraries, schools and poets around the country band together to celebrate poetry and its vital place in American culture. Thousands of businesses and non-profit organizations participate through readings, festivals, book displays, workshops, and other events.
Midtown Kingston Partners:
Kingston Public Library (55 Franklin Street), www.kingstonlibrary.org, (845) 331-0507
Kingston High School (403 Broadway)
Boys and Girls Club of Kingston (139 Greenkill Avenue)
Kingston PAL & Boxing League at the Billy Costello Gymnasium (467 Broadway)
J.W. Bailey Middle School (Merilina Ave Ext)
For more information contact:
Lara Giordano, Artist/ Project Founder (845) 633-0815 larag2@mac.com
Casey Kurtti, Writer/Project Founder (510) 414-9634 ckurtti@yahoo.com
Lori Van Houten, Artist/ Exhibit Organizer (201) 892-9183 lorivanhouten@yahoo.com
Barb Smith, Artist (845) 616-8205 barbarasmithinfo@gmail.com
