The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
‘Small Town, Big Talk’ art show opens March 12
The David M. Hunt Library ArtWall will present the interactive exhibition Small Town, Big Talk from March 12 through May 28. Aimed at creating and strengthening relationships among the residents of the secondsmallest town in the Nutmeg state, this civic art project will feature portrait photography by Rebecca Bloomfield, paired with insightful quotes from interviews conducted by Adam Sher, an announcement said.
Supported by a grant from Bridging Divides, Healing Communities — a fund of Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, the exhibit is free and open to the public during library operating hours and online at www.hunt library.org/art-wall.
With the advent of everpresent social media, actual real world civic engagement among neighbors has diminished in every community and made worse by the pandemic of Covid-19 that has shut down social life since March 2020, the announcement said. Falls Village residents Rebecca Bloomfield, Adam Sher, and Meg Sher were looking to re-engage their fellow townsfolk and forge new friendships and understanding across social, racial, and class divides. To move beyond small talk, a series of “big talk” questions was developed to engage subjects’ world views and personal philosophies, exploring the sense of belonging, concerns for the future, and feelings of misunderstanding. A public call for subjects was made and respondents were scheduled for socially distanced outdoor photo and interview sessions.
Bloomfield, the project’s photographer, found that she was thinking a lot about vulnerability while the interviews were being conducted. “It’s so rare that we get past small talk with our neighbors, and I think it’s rare because it’s vulnerable to ask the questions in the first place, let alone open up and answer them. I hope that as more people share their stories and perspectives, we build trust, empathy, and connection.”
For more information, call 860-824-7424 or visit the library’s website.