GAL member, Deb Cinamon Whalen, A NOFA (New England Organic Farm Association) trained organic land care specialist, will be offering a two-hour Introduction to Organic Vegetable Gardening class for New Eden Collaborative participants. The class is also open to anyone else interested in organic gardening. It will be offered twice at First Parish Church of Newbury, 20, High Road, Newbury, MA, on Friday, February 20th from 6:30-8:30 P.M. and Saturday, March 7th from 5:00-7:00 P.M. $5 at the door.
Monthly Archive for January, 2009
Erin Stack
GAL created several temporary installations of site-inspired “Green Haiku” along the Newburyport waterfront. The installation site at an urban park and river boardwalk, brings into focus how the natural environment is “developed” and tamed for human consumption. Pedestrians discovering these “Green Haiku” were given the opportunity to reflect on their experience and influence on Nature. .
GAL has installed Green Haiku at the Newburyport Waterfront in 2007 and 2008. The photo above is a haiku by Erin Stack.
Savage Rituals
Erin Stack
Stephenie Strogney
Erin Stack and Stephenie Strogney collaborate annually on an interactive performance called a “Savage Ritual.”
“Savage Rituals”, Earth Day, 2008, Newburyport, MA
This roaming interventionist performance, addressed Americans’ ambivalent, veiled as romanticized, relationship to Nature. Our “friendly” polar bear offered gifts of cards to people on the street and in commercial establishments. These cards were inscribed with one of twenty-six “Savage Rituals”. These rituals, when performed, would press for a more intimate relationship with Nature and were often humorous and always challenging.
Hungry Ghost on Bartlett Mall, Newburyport, MA
Inspired by Kafka’s short story, Metamorphosis and Buddhist Cosmology, GAL’s roaming intervention, “Metamorphosis: Hungry Ghost” is a cautionary tale of excessive consumption. A GAL barker led our character, the Hungry Ghost, through an Earth Day fair announcing the tragic news that Stephenie, a savvy, yet profligate shopper, awoke one morning transformed into a ravenous Hungry Ghost. She is now doomed to roam the world consuming without ever being satisfied. The public was encouraged to feed the hungry ghost by putting their waste water bottles, napkins, candy wrappers, etc. through the many gaping red mouths of the ghost. This waste could then easily be seen through the translucent “digestive sacs” that lay exposed on the outside of her body.
Hungry Ghost Getting Sugar Fix at Convenience Store