Dear Friends and Art Lovers,
My mantra for 2022 is “Be The Change,” which for me means actively manifesting a more just and equitable world through my art.
As you know, I spent much of last year reflecting on and reckoning with the systems of inequity that plague our country and our world. Much of the work I created and exhibited focused on deepening my personal understanding of how I benefit from and participate in those systems, and sharing that understanding with others in the hope that they could see themselves more clearly as well. Looking back, perhaps my mantra for 2021 could have been summarized as “See the Change,” because I spent much of the year working towards a clearer vision of what is possible if we take action against injustice.
While that introspective work continues, I can feel it evolving, incorporating more action, larger discussions, and more ways for others to join in the fight for a more just world through art. A world that we do not imagine, but that we embody and create together. I am excited to share how this work is materializing, and how you can be a part of it.
Thank you for being on this journey with me,
Caron
Image: (left) Breaking Through, my response to “Memory Lane” by Yael Segal. Created as part of the Rollo TLV-Boston Project (2022).
Rollo Project TLV-Boston March 1 - 12, 2022
I am proud to be a part of Rollo Boston-TLV! Presented by Rollo International, this new art project is working to create connections between artists from all over the word in times of social distancing. Each artist receives an anonymous artwork vie email and must respond with 24 hours. The result - over 200 connected works of art, featured in an online gallery. The project originated in Tel Aviv and is now launching a special cooperation between artists from Boston and beyond!
Many thanks to Rollo International and their partners at the Israeli Consulate in New England. You can see “Breaking Through,” my response to Yael Segal’s piece “Memory Lane,” by clicking the link below. Both artworks are featured in a collection of ten pieces exploring “Longing.”
Upcoming Virtual Symposium with the Rothko Chapel’s Spirituality and Social Justice Cohort March 31 & April 1, 2022
In 2020, I was honored to be included as a member of the Rothko Chapel’s “Spirituality and Social Justice Cohort” as part of a special project to provide a platform for discourse on, and exploration of, the relationship between spirituality and social justice advocacy. As an extension of that project, and in conjunction with the Chapel’s 50th anniversary, I am thrilled to be presenting among an all-star lineup of social justice leaders as part of an upcoming symposium. “Beyond the Rhetoric: Civil Rights & Our Shared Responsibility” will explore intersectional civil and human rights issues, including how individuals, grassroots initiatives, and policy makers can work together to create a more equitable future for all.
The session I am participating in is called “Activism & Spirituality: Sustaining the Activist Spirit.” Other topics include: Freedom of Speech & Expression, Access & Equity in Public Health, Policing & the Criminal Justice System, Activism & Spirituality, Voting Rights, and Movement Building. You can register at the link below.
Be The Change: A Multi-City Public Art Initiative
I am excited to announce that my Justice Vessels have sparked a multi-city public art initiative called Be the Change that will launch in Boston the spring. Through this initiative, JArts Boston will be commissioning six Boston artists to create outdoor sculptures inspired by social justice issues that are important to them. The initiative will include a wealth of public programming around each project and will have corresponding outdoor installations going up in Cincinnati and LA as well created by socially-engaged artists n each of those cities.
Images: (left) Justice Vessels: Tzedakah Box For Ruth, Etched glass, scorched olive wood from Israel, 22 x 11 x 6 inches, 2021; (right) Justice Vessels: Tzedakah Box For Tina. Scorched tree branches, stainless steel, wool roving, thread, 16 x 16 x 22 inches, 2021.
For my contribution to this initiative, I will be focusing on raising awareness of the alarming rise in the rate of antisemitic hate crimes that are being perpetrated in this country in recent years in a way that honors the victims, uplifts our communities, and encourages people to take concrete actions to address the root causes of these heinous acts.
Many thanks to JArts for leading this project! Stay tuned for a full line up of the participating artists!
“Fabric of Humanity” Heads to the Skirball Museum in Los Angeles
This fall, my quilt, “Fabric of Humanity: Mending My World,” will be showcased alongside the “Fabric of a Nation” exhibition as it travels from the MFA, Boston to the Skirball Museum in Los Angeles. The curators at the Skirball selected this piece as an anchor to draw connections between the breathtaking quilts on view in Fabric of a Nation and the Skirball’s extensive collection of Judaica. Further, it will serve as a catalyst for participatory community quilting events.
Image: Fabric of Humanity - Repairing My World. Fabric, leather, yarn, thread, paper, ribbon, nylon, cardboard. Approximately 140 x 110 inches. 2021.
In preparation for this museum exhibition, I am reaching out to you, my community:
Contribute to the Quilt: The unfinished edges of this piece are intentional as it was intended to be an ever-growing accumulation of material memories and personal stories that bring us all closer together. I am currently seeking more contributions! To contribute to the quilt, you will need a piece of fabric that holds some special meaning to you along with a written letter explaining why you chose that particular piece. Email me at caron@tabbfamily.net for instructions on where to send your materials!
Let’s Record Your Story: In addition to the installation of the quilt, the Skirball Museum will be digitizing the quilt pieces along with their stories, which opens up opportunities to incorporate sound and video documentation. My goal is to conduct a series of recorded Zoom calls with folks who have contributed to the quilt so that they can tell me the story their contribution face to face. If you have contributed already and would like to tell your story in this format as well, please send me an email.
Many thanks to the Skirball Museum for this exciting opportunity and to everyone who has contributed to this project so far!