September 21, 2021 -- Cultural Content |
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Dear Friends,
Greetings from the PPL hive of finally-it's-FALL activity! With newly expanded hours and all our new spaces finally open to the public, we’ve welcomed readers, movie lovers, music fans, artists, researchers, computer users, and learners of all ages, along with lots of Rhode Islanders who just want to see our beautiful building in person. Over the summer we were thrilled to host teens from around the state in educational programming with ARISE (Alliance of Rhode Island Southeast Asians for Education), CAPP (Community Action Partnership of Providence County), College Visions, and PVD Young Makers, among others. It was a joy to meet them and see their enthusiasm for the opportunities and experiences available for teens at PPL.
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One of the most exciting things about finally having the whole building open to the public has been discovering how people choose to make the new spaces their own. As people have flowed through the building at all different times of day, they’ve shown us which areas are natural hubs of interaction, and which spots are best for quiet focus; where to go when you want to look out and feel part of the liveliness of the city, and where to find a contemplative retreat. We’ve been delighted to see the building come alive with activity, exploration, and engagement, and even reveal possibilities that we had not anticipated.
One example is the area just inside the Empire Street entrance, where you can ask a question at the Welcome Desk, or go directly up the stairs to the Info Commons. The area was designed to be welcoming, with benches readily available, and to have a “WOW” factor, with its dramatic atrium allowing visitors a view all the way up to the top floor of the building.
But until people were actually moving through that space, looking and up and down and all around as they marveled at the new design, we didn’t realize its secret potential: a hub for interactive art projects! Stop in now to see Documenting Place As Witness, featuring Providence College Associate Professor of Art Eric Sung’s large-scale photographs depicting PPL's spaces when they were pandemic-empty, and respond to this prompt:
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“What do these images say to you about the experience of the role of public spaces like libraries in society? What did we lose during periods of physical distancing? How can we now build community amidst uncertainty?”
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Eric’s beautiful, unsettling photos will be on a rotating display, two at a time, over the next several months – we’ll be debuting two new images on October 1, so check out the current duo before they come down, make plans to come back in regularly to see the series as it unfolds, and record your ongoing responses to the photographs here. Stay tuned for more on Eric's project in the next Cultural Content!
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Image from the collection of Traci Picard |
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Comprised of artifacts collected from the shore at Field’s Point, a little point of land at the edge of Providence, along with documents, historic maps, and images providing geographical, chronological, and cultural context for the objects, the exhibit is by turn revelatory, mysterious, elegiac, and comical. Moving through its jumble of offerings, both natural and manmade, is like taking a keen-eyed walk along the water, and leaves a viewer feeling energized and restored.
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Huge thanks to Traci and Dan for the opportunity to exhibit this engaging, exploratory show, and thanks also to PPL’s own Research and Outreach Librarian for Special Collections, Angela DiVeglia - whose expertise, along with her dedication to creative installation, made it possible for us to say YES to this wonderful opportunity! The exhibition will be on display during regular library hours until December 20.
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Image from the Providence City Archives |
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Finally, thanks to our friends at FirstWorks, Music from the Sole, led by tap dancer Leonardo Sandoval and bassist-composer Gregory Richardson, will present their work in our beautiful new Auditorium on Saturday, September 25 at 12:00-12:45pm and 2:30-3:15pm. The ensemble celebrates tap’s roots in the African diaspora, reflecting choreographic and musical influences from Sandoval’s native Brazil, and Richardson’s talent combining funk, house, jazz, and Afro-Cuban music. They will be joined by Providence-based tap artist, Orlando Hernández for their FirstWorks Live performance. Space is extremely limited and masks will be required for all performance attendees. Reservations must be made in advance through FirstWorks, please see information on how to reserve here.
We have SO MUCH MORE coming up in the weeks and months ahead - please stay tuned, and we hope you’ll pass along this enews to any friends who might also like to keep up with cultural happenings at PPL! They can sign-up to subscribe here .
We wish you a healthy, active autumn, and look so forward to seeing you soon! Our hours and other information on visiting can be found here. As a reminder, masks are still required for everyone entering the building, even if you are vaccinated.
In gratitude,
Christina Bevilacqua
Programs & Exhibitions Director
Janaya Kizzie
Programs & Events Manager
p.s. Be sure to visit the WaterFire Arts Center, where artworks by Erminio Pinque for Chazan! Unfiltered, the award-winning graphic memoir created by generous PPL Trustee and local artists’ champion Joseph A. Chazan, MD, in collaboration with Erminio and writer Lenny Schwartz, are now on exhibit. Read more about the show and the Center here. We were delighted to host a conversation with Dr. Chazan, Erminio, and Lenny last winter, you can see it here.
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