Jeffrey Gibson MONUMENTS NOW

Socrates Sculpture Park
Wednesday, September 16, 2020, 6:30 – 8pm EST

Artist Jeffrey Gibson has curated a series of performances by Indigenous artists to activate his project, ‘Because Once You Enter My House It Becomes Our House‘ for the ‘MONUMENTS NOW‘ exhibition. After an inaugural performance by acclaimed violinist Laura Ortman on July 24, the series continues with a new original work by dancer Emily Johnson live-streamed to the Park’s Facebook & Zoom accounts.

Johnson’s site-specific dance work, ‘The Ways We Love and The Ways We Love Better – Monumental Movement Toward Being Future Being(s)’, stages pathways for regeneration, renewal and transformation.

The performance begins with a gathering at the shore of the East River estuary with words from artist and activist Nataneh River, and then moves to ascend Gibson’s monument. ‘The Ways We Love…’ incorporates storytelling, invocation, movement, and light to illuminate Indigenous presence and the histories held in the parkland, which is situated in Lenapehoking – homeland of the Lenapeyok people.

The evening culminates with the planting of tobacco, and the projectcontinues this spring with the planting of Sehsapsing corn seeds — a tribute to the future and a commitment to Lenape return.