still, life
September - October 2021, Rhizome DC, Washington D.C.
An installation of fabric that invokes landscape, exalts light, invites stillness, and celebrates life. A project that illuminates: rest, revive, rejoice, reconnect, release, renew, relax, reflect, reunite, reemerge, reconstruct, remain. A static image, yet still, life! Despite it all, still, life has gone on, has found a way, will find a way. Shared yet solitary, ordered yet chaotic, familiar yet new. “All life is being lived.
This video is a documentation of the closing celebration for my project ‘still, life’ at RhizomeDC (Takoma Park, MD), an all-day festival called ‘All Afternoon Life Celebration’ that occurred on October 17, 2021. It included performance, music, tarot reading, an outdoor art installation, interactive art stations, local cheese, bread, and coffee vendors, and to close out the day, DANCE/BAND, which paired three local music artists with three dance artists. This video is a raw documentation of that day, focusing on the performance aspects as well as the indoor fabric installation and visitor interactions. All sounds are audio captured at the time of filming.
Indoor and outdoor fabric installation, and festival production, curation, and organization: Claire Alrich
Indoor installation soundscape: Sadie Leigh and Emma Pauline
Fabrication assistance: Faryn Kelly
share/show artists: Lawrence Kirk, Thomas Northrup, Nick Stavely, The French Champagne
DANCE/BAND artists: Milk Milk: Mascelli + Oppenheim/Cal Rifkin; Greg David/Margot MacDonald, Sadie Leigh/Boaty Otis
Food vendors: Paste & Rind Cheese Co., Velvel Breads, Southern Roastery
Artist booths: tarot with Quilt Witch, interactive nature art with Mara Menahan
Outdoor art gallery artist: Annie Choudary, Marisa Rasum, Alex “Dub” DuBois
Videography: Amanda Blythe with editing by Claire Alrich and Sadie Leigh
Archive of Activities
Still: Thursday 4:30pm - 7pm (9/23, 9/30, 10/7, 10/14)
The space is open to see and be still in - rest, reflect, release, remain.
Life: Sundays 12pm - 4pm (9/19, 9/26, 10/3, 10/10, 10/17)
The space is open to see and be still in AND there are outdoor workshops that invite life - revive, reconstruct, renew, rejoice.
*All workshops are outdoors, with masks required. In case of inclement weather we will move in doors and stay masked*
September 19th, Open Hours and Opening Reception 12pm - 4pm
September 26, 2pm - 4pm Fieldwork
A one-off taste of the Fieldwork method. Artists of all disciplines are invited to come share works-in-progress and receive feedback from the group. More information about Fieldwork here. Participants are encouraged to come at 2pm and plan to stay till 4pm for the full experience.
October 3rd, 4pm - 6pm, Shake and Sing,
A low stakes movement and voice workshop and gathering. Body-based improv shaking warm-up, followed by group singing involving rounds and rhythm. All levels welcome!
October 10th, 2pm - 4pm, Dye and Revive: A Clothing Resurrection Party
Have some clothes that need a new life? Busted the knees in your jeans? Sweat stains got you down? Give dyeing a try! Bring your cast offs and learn about tub dyeing with procion dyes! The artist will be onsite to do light repair work on your garments with a sewing machine. Renew, revive, resurrect! *Satisfaction is not guaranteed - this is a chance to experiment and play, not be precious*
October 17th, 12pm, All Afternoon Life Celebration
October 17th, All afternoon life celebration - A mini backyard art festival! Performances! Music! Food! Fun!
12pm - all afternoon: - outdoor and indoor art installations, interactive art project with Mara Menahan, snacks from Paste & Rind Cheese Co.,Tarot readings by Quilt Witch, and more!
3pm - 5pm SHARE/SHOW: a mixed discipline performance show
- Lawrence Kirk
- Thomas Northrup
- The French Champagne
5:30pm - 7pm DANCE/BAND: a split-screen simultaneous dance and music concert
- Milk Milk: Mascelli + Oppenheim/Cal Rifkin
- Greg David/Margot MacDonald
- Sadie Leigh/Boaty Otis