Museum of Modern Art / 09.24.12 - 11.19.12 / Part of the Education Department's 'MoMA Studio: Common Senses' in conjunction with the exhibition 'The Century of the Child: Growing by Design 1900-2000' / Follow occasional project updates on Wikidiary / See MoMA video and post / Garden established 06.20.12 / Opening reception 09.24.12, 6pm / closing event with Knitting Nation and Mildred's Lane 11.19.12, noon-5pm
Domestic Integrities surveys local and seasonal patterns and rituals of interior domestic landscapes, the way we use what we resourcefully find around us to artfully make ourselves at home. This first American edition of the project at MoMA Studio is in two parts. A circular garden is established in the Sculpture Garden in partnership with Annie Novak of Eagle Street Rooftop Farm in Brooklyn, and a circular rug (the Domestic Integrity Field) is installed indoors in partnership with Mildred's Lane in Pennsylvania. The organic garden of medicinals, herbals, edibles, and plants for pollinators was established on June 20, 2012 to be cultivated and harvested through the season providing resources for the continuously changing elements (the Domestic Integrities) such as tea infusions, fresh bread, dried herbs, and flower arrangements, presented on the crocheted spiral rug of discarded textiles. Visitors are invited to explore the garden outside and make themselves at home on the rug inside, taking off shoes to sit down, inspect, touch, taste, and smell that day’s various Domestic Integrities.
(A01-001) Fresh MoMA Garden Harvests, by Emily François - The Domestic Integrity Field Garden in the MoMA courtyard is regularly harvested of fresh materials by the project gardener for presentation on the rug.
(A01-002) Fresh MoMA Garden Teas, by Sarah Kennedy & Laura Beiles - Garden herbal teas coming daily from the Domestic Integrity Field Garden in the MoMA courtyard.
(A01-003) Use of the discarded and unwanted, by Robyn Shapiro - Items from the garden that appear to have no immediate use (i.e. dried leaves) or have already been used by someone and no longer have an apparent purpose are used in a placemat-making project with children.
(A01-004) Infusion, by Robyn Shapiro - I'm thinking of an infused mix of things: infused vodka, olive oil, and simple syrup. You could have a drink, dinner and dessert all made from the infused items.
(A01-005) Dried Flowers as book markers, by Robyn Shapiro - We used to dry flowers in books and make books markers when I was young. I loved seeing the process of how something so colorful and three dimension could be transformed into something very different but equally beautiful.
(A01-006) Perfume, by Robyn Shapiro - Making perfume from things in the garden, inspired by a previous job developing celebrity fragrances, which seems rather silly and trivial, but I love the scent of nature and the attempt to bottle it.
(A01-007) Materials with Integrity: Plant Pigments & Living Fibers, by Suko Presseau from McEnroe Organic Farm - Dyeing fabric or yarn, using plants harvested from Domestic Integrities Garden & around sculpture garden, with Golden Rod, plus Sumac, Black Walnut or Pokeberry.
(A01-008) Pressed Leaf Inventory, by Melanie Monios - Pressed leaves from each of the plants in MoMA's Domestic Integrity Field garden mounted and labelled.
(A01-009) Bagged Teas, by Melanie Monios - Dried garden herbal teas in home-made bags.
(A01-010) Lavender, by Claire Corey - Dried lavender and seeds from home garden
(A01-011) Saved seeds, by Roger Griffith - Seed and seed heads from his home garden including: Papaver somniferum (poppy); Tulipa sylvestris (woodland tulip); Anethum graveolens (dill); Diplotaxis tenuifolia (wild Italian arugula); Nigella damascena (Love in the mist); Helianthus annuus (Sunflower).
(A01-012) Canned goods, by Roger Griffith - Canned fruits and vegetables from his home garden, including: Whole Tomatoes with Basil, Dill Pickled Green Beans, Hungarian Pepper Butter, Sweet Corn Relish, Red Currant Jam, Kippered Sour Cherries.
(A01-013) Pesto, by Sarah Kennedy - Fresh basil pesto with mortar and pestle.
(A01-014) Sun-dried tomatoes, by Sarah Kennedy - Homemade jarred sundried tomatoes in olive oil.
(A01-015) Lavender potpourri, by Nancy Kennedy - Dried lavender in fabric pouches.
(A01-016) Medicinal basil Seeds, tomatoes, and peppers, by Faviana Fabiano - and Genovese basil seeds, sungold tomatoes and Thai hot peppers sprouted at Roberta's Garden in Brooklyn, cultivated on a rooftop in Pelham, NY, and harvested from the family garden, including descriptions of medicinal properties of each plant.
OTHERS TO FOLLOW...
Phase 10 of the KNITTING NATION project is staged at MoMA Studio: Common Senses, as a response to Fritz Haeg's Domestic Integrities rug. Artist Liz Collins and five other knitters create narrow cords in a spectrum of colors that feed directly from knitting machines into piles of cording, which are then be braided directly into the rug. No cutting, no knots, just six contiguous cords of color feeding the piece for five hours straight. Visitors are welcome to observe this Swarming and learn about the process, while also contributing to crocheting the circular Domestic Integrities rug using discarded textiles that will be on hand. The closing event for MoMA Studio, Phase 10 of Knitting Nation is an invitation to our many communities to find comfort, conversation and nourishment through creative interactions and potluck offerings of homemade items from jams and pickles to bread and tea. See photos & video.
Garden developed with: Annie Novak of Eagle Street Rooftop Farm
Garden care: Emily François and Robyn Shapiro of Eagle Street Rooftop Farm
Plants: McEnroe Organic Farm
Steel planter: Kelco
Volunteer gardeners:Robyn Shapiro, Hannah Begley, Sylie Kovnat, Elijah Heath, TJ O'Brien, Nicole Sherman, and Faviana Fabiano from Roberta's Garden
Rug installation with: J Morgan Puett of Mildred's Lane with Jack Ramunni
Curators: Sarah Kennedy and Laura Beiles, MoMA; Sheetal Prajapati and Alison Burstein, curatorial assistants, MoMA; with Pablo Helguera, Director of Adult and Academic Programs, Department of Education
Domestic Integrities contributors: Sarah Kennedy, Nancy Kennedy, Laura Beiles, Robyn Shapiro, Emily François, Suko Presseau, Melanie Monios, Roger Griffith, Claire Corey
Also thanks to: Dan Haeg, Melissa Metrick, Hanley Ma, Lauryl Berger, Jessica Baesler, Emma Mendehlson
Handmade wood pedestals: Paul Bartow (Bartow+Metzgar) for Mildred's Lane
Knitting Nation: Liz Collins, with knitting performers Kayla Carpitella, Liz Collins, Lindsay Degen, Olivia Eaton and Zoe Latta
Scribe, labels and identifications: Fiona Ryan
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