Words are singularly the most powerful force available to humanity. We can choose to use this force constructively with words of encouragement, or destructively using words of despair. Words have energy and power with the ability to help, to heal, to hinder, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate and to humble.
-Yehuda Berg
Visualize Voice: Out of Many, One
Voice can express many things-- a sound, a feeling, or moment in time. It can be a rally cry or a soft gentle whisper. Visualizing Voice is a community art project initiated by the Somerville Arts Council and a band of dedicated volunteers, devised to visualize this concept. In honor of this year’s ArtBeat theme: Voice, this project was designed to reflect the many voices in our community. During the weeks leading up to the festival, we held series of public workshops at the How to Fix the World Festival, SomerStreets’ Carnval, MudFlat Pottery School, WorkBar Artist Networking event, and the Somerville Homeless Coalition’s Come to the Table.
At first glance, the exhibit may appear to be an abstract installation. However, as you look closer, you will find much more. Behind each tube is a miniature piece of art created by people from all walks of life. From school-aged children to artists to folks who make the streets of Davis Square their home, each individual used their own unique lens to illustrate their visual depiction of voice. And for those who that enjoyed the pen rather that the brush, thoughts, poems, stories, and words of inspiration were shared on a community textile.
It was a labor of love that truly took a village to complete. Many thanks to following individuals and organizations this helped make this project possible.
Emily Abramovich
Chloe Wilwerding
Andrea Schmaderer
Ashleigh Bartlett
Somerville Media Center
Somerville Veteran’s Affairs
SomerViva
WorkBar
Somerville Homeless Coalition
East Somerville Main Streets
Randi Freundlich and the Children of the World Project
About the Inside-Out Gallery
Initiated in 2009, The Inside-Out Gallery is located in the CVS Window in Davis Square, a unique space that allows the public to view an eclectic array of works from artists and local organizations each month. The mission of the Somerville Arts Council is to cultivate and celebrate the creative expressions of the Somerville community. Through innovative collaborations and quality programming we work to make the arts an integral part of life reflective of our diverse city.