During Iris members’ visits to YWCA Durham's Adelaide House to discuss some artmaking projects, an abandoned garden and amphitheatre was discovered on the property. On seeing this, several of us imagined how we might work together with residents and other community members to begin a dialogue about reclaiming this space, perhaps even, to create an area where visual and performance art could take place. Taking abandoned and depleted earth, working it with our hands and tools, starting seedlings in early spring, tending to their delicate needs and then, finding a suitable location to flourish in our community garden, reflects the healthy growing conditions needed for all interdependent communities and life others.
We are open to all possibilities. The renewal of the outdoor space at Adelaide House will seek to support and nurture a sense of belonging among the families temporarily housed at this place. We, the IRIS Group, will be challenged to develop a way of working where all involved are equal decision-makers and participants with shared responsibility for the projects’ direction, activities and outcome. We imagine creating a visual journal through photography, mixed-media/performance/installation events and activities, jointly developed with our collaborators. The achievements of this partnership can become part of the YWCA archive and, more importantly, a tangible and satisfying accomplishment for each individual woman, an accomplishment of growing an interconnected community that supports woman undergoing the trauma of dislocation, and deepens our relationship with the earth as a nurturing and life-sustaining environment. Further to this we have invited students of the ESL program at E.A.Lovell School to participate as well as other community members.
We are open to all possibilities. The renewal of the outdoor space at Adelaide House will seek to support and nurture a sense of belonging among the families temporarily housed at this place. We, the IRIS Group, will be challenged to develop a way of working where all involved are equal decision-makers and participants with shared responsibility for the projects’ direction, activities and outcome. We imagine creating a visual journal through photography, mixed-media/performance/installation events and activities, jointly developed with our collaborators. The achievements of this partnership can become part of the YWCA archive and, more importantly, a tangible and satisfying accomplishment for each individual woman, an accomplishment of growing an interconnected community that supports woman undergoing the trauma of dislocation, and deepens our relationship with the earth as a nurturing and life-sustaining environment. Further to this we have invited students of the ESL program at E.A.Lovell School to participate as well as other community members.
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