Center For The Arts, Wesleyan University
Middletown, Connecticut, U.S.A.
21st February – 4th March 2009
Middletown
This presentation at the Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut was one of the most satisfying we have done. The show rarely visits proper gallery spaces, but when it does it usually rises to the occasion. Here in the Ezra and Cecile Zilkha Gallery the rice looked particularly fine. At the opposite end of campus a mini version of the show was set in the Olin library foyer, vitrines located in three further locations around campus were complimented by a shop window display in the town’s main street all designed to draw audiences to the main show. There were lots of people at the opening and the show featured extensively in the local media, so it was predictable that the show would scoop another attendance record.
Director of Wesleyan’s Center for the Arts Pamela Tatge had seen the show in New York. For a while she had been collaborating with Professor Barry Churnoff of the University’s Environmental Science department on a program called Feat to the Fire about global warming. Their regular complaint had been that no art they’d seen had managed to convey the scale of the problem that global warming is likely to cause. In Of All The People In All The World Pamela saw that possibility and phoned Barry Churnoff, he came down to the World Financial Centre and the rest is history.
Barry set researching climate change statistics for the show as a task for his undergraduates, these he checked with his post-grad students and the results were some of the most amazing and powerful statistics the show has seen.
Add to this bundle great accommodation close to the venue, good food, beautiful countryside and warm hospitality it all added up to a great gig.
Highlight: A trip out to Professor Churnoff’s house.
Lowlight: Early logistical glitches which found us locked out of our own venue along with the audience, waiting for ‘public safety’ (campus security) to let us all in.
Credits
Performers: Chris. Dugrenier, Charlotte Gregory, Graeme Rose, Benny Semp, Jack Trow, James Yarker
Concept: James Yarker
General Manager: Charlotte Martin
Advisory Producer: Nick Sweeting
The mix of thought provoking and whimsy, person and people, plain squares and spirals, all makes this a great exhibit that I’ll remember and talk about.
Justin
It was absolutely refreshing and devastating at the same time. Thanks for sharing. It was definitely mind, eye and heart opening!
Linda