In a moving passage from If this is a Man, Primo Levy describes a situation when he and a fellow prisoner in Auschwitz were walking to pick up the minimal soup for lunch. While walking, Levy recalls reciting pieces of Dante to his friend. At one point, he could not remember a particular connecting line. It was so important to him to remember these lines that he writes he would have given up his food rations for the day, just to remember. For those few moments, Levy writes that he forgot who he was and where he was.
Two artists from Holland who call themselves Haas&Hahn went to Brazil to one of the most notorious favelas (slums) in the area. Their goal? They wanted to paint a mural, but one that flowed onto all of the houses on the hill, rather than merely painting one wall. The artwork they produced with the help of the neighborhood people, revitalized the emotions and the attitude of the way people perceived this favela and the way the inhabitants perceived themselves. These examples, illustrating the impact of the arts, come from far away in terms of geography and time.
But what about the arts in Brookline, Boston, and other nearby areas? On this evening, we will feature members, artists, and staff from the Urbano Project in Jamaica Plain, who will lead talks and a discussion about the power of the arts for change, celebration, and community. You will hear stories of transformation, resistance, and hope, while also being able to participate in the conversation.
We will also have guests from Brookline Interactive Group.