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---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: west end museum <[log in to unmask]> Date: Thu, Aug 18, 2011 at 3:20 PM Subject: Evelyn Berde Installation at the West End Museum: "Leaving The River" Sent-To: Don Warner Saklad <[log in to unmask]> Art Exhibit is Memoir of Life, Death, and Healing in the Old West End of Boston For Immediate Release August 9, 2011 Boston, MA—On September 1, 2011, the West End Museum will premiere a new art show featuring works of Boston artist Evelyn Berde. “Leaving the River” is a multi-media art installation which explores the impact the government-ordered condemnation and destruction of Boston's thriving West End neighborhood in the late 1950's and early 1960's had on its residents, including Berde's family, and, ultimately, on the artist's life and artistic development. Berde's works focus on three overlapping events from her childhood: her family’s forced eviction from the neighborhood as part of Boston’s urban renewal; the tragic drowning of her brother in the Charles River; and her medical battle with congenital scoliosis. Berde’s art reflects how, as a young girl, she witnessed the tragedies of death and disability that befell her family and herself. The exhibit uses painting, sculpture, collage, period furniture and clothing, sounds, and other media to recreate the life and death of the neighborhood, and to document how Berde came to terms with its destruction at the same time she confronted the death of her 9 year-old brother. As her family sought comfort in the Church, Berde used art as a therapeutic tool and a path to healing. Among the works included in “Leaving the River” are unconventional renderings of familiar religious images. The installation captures the reminiscences of surviving West End residents who describe the pain of watching the wrecking ball destroy the neighborhood—and the sense of home and family they lost. “Leaving the River” interposes these sad reminiscences with other, happier ones through photographs and works of art documenting the stark contrast between the vibrancy of the West End of the 1950's and the desolation and rubble that remained after it was bulldozed to the ground. Duane Lucia, Executive Director of the West End Museum, will serve as curator for this exhibit which runs through October 8, 2011. Media Contact Matt Ellis [log in to unmask] 617.278.6560 Museum Contact Duane Lucia [log in to unmask] 617.416.0718 Schedule of Events “Leaving the River" Opening Reception Thursday, September 8, 2011 at 6:30pm @ West End Museum FREE View the exhibit and meet the artist; refreshments will be served. “Leaving the River” is a multi-media art installation which explores the impact the government-ordered condemnation and destruction of Boston's thriving West End neighborhood in the late 1950's and early 1960's had on its residents, including Berde's family, and, ultimately, on the artist's life and artistic development. Berde's works focus on three overlapping events from her childhood: her family’s forced eviction from the neighborhood as part of Boston’s urban renewal; the tragic drowning of her brother in the Charles River; and her medical battle with congenital scoliosis. Berde’s art reflects how, as a young girl, she witnessed the tragedies of death and disability that befell her family and herself. The exhibit uses painting, sculpture, collage, period furniture and clothing, sounds, and other media to recreate the life and death of the neighborhood, and to document how Berde came to terms with its destruction at the same time she confronted the death of her 9 year-old brother. Movie: “Understanding Urban Renewal...” Tuesday, September 13, 2011 at 7:00pm @ West End Museum FREE One of Jane Jacobs’ only Boston appearances on film will be shown along with Ric Burn's episode 7 of his documentary "New York", which outlines the federal Urban Renewal program: Title 1, Title 2 and the Federal Highway Act. Artist Talk: "Leaving the River" Thursday, September 15, at 6:30pm @ West End Museum FREE Artist, Evelyn Berde, speaks about the process of creating her installation: how the pieces evolved, the role art plays in helping to heal the memories of post-traumatic stress disease and how telling her story has invited others to share their memories through art. West End Mass Sunday, September 18, 2011 at 10am @ St. Josephs Church, 68 Cardinal O'Connell Way, Boston, MA 02114 http://stjosephboston.com/ 617 523 4342 "Leaving the River": West Ender Reception Sunday, September 18, 2011 at 12pm @ West End Museum FREE "Leaving the River" family reception; art installation by former West Ender Evelyn Berde. View the exhibit and meet the artist; refreshments will be served. Artist Talk: “Art as Healer... Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at 12pm @ West End Museum FREE Magical Thinking and Play Evelyn Berde and Dr. Susan Linn talks about how the creative process helps people survive. How do children survive in the midst of trauma and depression in a family? This talk will focus on the use of art and play as coping methods for children. Artist Talk: “Telling Our Stories... Thursday, September 22, 2011 at 6:30pm @ West End Museum FREE Artist Evelyn Berde and Writer Susan Monsky discuss the value of art as memoir, the connection of words and images in creating a memoir and the different ways of telling our stories. How do we begin? What direction should I go in? What tools will help me? Why do we tell our stories? Children's Day: “Creating Stories” Saturday 9/24 at 11am @ West End Museum FREE A Workshop for Children to create their Stories, with artist Evelyn Berde, photographer Ariel Kessler, and puppeteer and ventriloquist Susan Linn and her beloved puppet ‘Audrey Duck’. Great Materials will be supplied. Jazz: ‘Return of the Bright Moments Band’ Saturday 9/24 at 7:30pm @ West End Museum FREE Playing the music of Rahsaan Roland Kirk and Charles Mingus; Featuring multi-instrumentalist Bob Drinkwater along with, Bob McCloskey (Tenor Sax), John Licata (Trombone), Dave Gold (Bass), Rick Lynch (Piano), John Nourse (Drums). -- Duane Lucia Executive Director West End Museum (617) 416-0718 http://thewestendmuseum.org/ (617) 723-2125 The West End Museum is a neighborhood museum dedicated to the collection, preservation and interpretation of the history and culture of the West End of Boston. The Museum acknowledges its role as an educational institution and a trustee of significant material culture. The West End Museum fulfills its mission by providing exhibits to the public on a regular basis, by providing access to its collections for research, by providing a resource to the West End Neighborhood for historical and cultural interests. It involves the public in its mission through outreach programming, neighborhood events, and educational programming in the school systems, thereby increasing and sustaining the public’s appreciation of an important American urban neighborhood from the seventeenth century to the present time. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mail submissions to [log in to unmask] For information about joining ARLIS/NA see: http://www.arlisna.org/join.html Send administrative matters (file requests, subscription requests, etc) to [log in to unmask] ARLIS-L Archives and subscription maintenance: http://lsv.arlisna.org Questions may be addressed to list owner (Judy Dyki) at: [log in to unmask] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~