Williston’s Grum Project, a five-year artist-in-residence program funded by a generous alumna, enters its third year with a slate of artists involved in a variety of disciplines.
Mark Guglielmo, a visual artist who creates photomosaics paired with audio recordings, begins the series. His most recent work depicts the lives of Cuban people before and after the death of Fidel Castro. Guglielmo’s large images—between 5 feet and 15 feet wide—are created by piecing together thousands of 4”x6” photographs. The images are hanging in the Grubbs Gallery through October 24. During his two-month residency, he’ll be working with Williston’s Latin American history class, Spanish classes, photography classes, English classes (discussing Cuban poets), and dance program with lessons in salsa dancing. He will moderate a guest panel of people from Cuba in the Grubbs Gallery to complement his show, and the project will culminate in an assembly with a presentation of his work and a Cuban band performance.
In conjunction with the fall theater production of The Laramie Project, we will host a Leigh Fondakowski, our visiting artist, a member of the member of The Tectonic Theater Company. She will address our student body at an all-school assembly on September 21. Members of Tectonic’s educational division will visit with English classes, whose students will read the play, and work with the cast of The Laramie Project.
Ben Needham-Wood is a professional dancer who will work with dancers in the afternoons for one week and will give an evening lecture and video presentation. He is featured in the project Baseballet, which illustrates the athleticism involved in dancing.
Dan Phakos ’06 will be returning for another film collaboration this year. Dan and his professional crew gained a great deal of momentum with Williston students making a PSA about the dangers of texting and driving last year.