The Radiance Project

The Radiance Project is multidisciplinary in scope, involving collaborative printmaking, alternative photography and dance. Participants throughout Southampton came together in a series of movement and art-making workshops contributing to a large visual tapestry. Based on the circular mandala form, and using our collective bodies, a multi-dimensional radiant community portrait emerged.

The project began with a 3 -month Studio Residency at Southampton Arts Center from March – May 2018. This was a place to plan, experiment, and host mandala-making workshops. There were drop-in hours for the public to come learn about the project and contribute their bodies to the tapestry. These collected traces were composed into a final physical artwork.

The project was intentioned to address a time in our country when there is huge divisiveness, and when artists are questioning how we can connect, build bridges within our communities and with our neighbors. One thing we all have in common is our bodies, and by moving them together, we can create a shared experience beyond words. I am aware of the idealism of this proposal, still there was something worth exploring in this vision.

I wondered if through this social art experiment it is possible for members of our Southampton community to connect creatively. The tapestry and mandalas are metaphors for wholeness, where the fragmentation of our selves and bodies are woven together. New connections were forged with empathy, shared space and creative flow emerging among the participants. What resonated in the end was an infectious sensation of joy.

The Radiance Project is supported by the Southampton Arts Center in Southampton, NY.

http://southamptonartscenter.org/event/the-radiance-project/

This project is made possible with funds from the Decentralization Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor M. Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, and administered by The Huntington Arts Council.