THE RESIDENCY
The inevitability, finality, and universality of Death as a human experience makes its presence in folklore ubiquitous and not surprising. Every culture has a story about death, a way to explain the unexplainable. From such stories, a rich pattern of rituals and philosophies shape our understanding and experience of Death and life that leads up to it. Ideas about the origin of death; where one dies; how the body is treated; what happens after life; how grief and loss is understood; the liminal space between life and death; and how the dead are remembered shape culture. The Stoic phase, memento mori, a daily practice of remembering that one must die, has inspired craftspeople and artists since classical antiquity. Humanity's awareness of its mortality shapes religion. Philosophers like Arthur Schopenhauer (German, 1788-1860) argued that without death philosophy would not be possible.
Building on an earlier exploration of Joy & Grief, Kolaj Institute will investigate Death as Culture through a series of Virtual and In-Person Collage Artist Residencies during which we will research how death is expressed in a diverse array of cultures. We will consider the death-related folklore that speaks to the origin of death, the afterlife, and those in the liminal spaces between life and death such as ghosts and spirits. Artists participating in the Virtual Residency will research expressions of death as culture in their own communities: folklore, cemeteries, traditions, social organizations.
OUTCOME
Collage Artist Residencies are designed for artists who want to expand their established practice to better diffuse their artwork into the ecosystem of art while fostering engagement and impact. Working in community with other artists, participants will consider how research informs process and making and how to prepare and present artwork to art professionals like curators, gallerists, art educators, and exhibition managers. Through interactive sessions, collections research, and collaborative collage making, artists will explore their process and practice; make a presentation about their work; receive supportive, critical, curatorial feedback about their ideas; and discuss how their artwork speaks to contemporary issues and concerns. Residencies will discuss issues of appropriation, copyright, and fair use and explore how the artist's choice and understanding of material shapes the stories of the artwork. Artists will complete the residencies with a new perspective on their art practice.
OUTPUTS
The artwork made during and after the residency will be considered for a January 2027 exhibition at Kolaj Institute Gallery in New Orleans and an October 2027 exhibition at the New Orleans Healing Center in conjunction with Fet Gede Celebrations. Artwork and writing will be considered for Folklore Collage Society, a printed journal dedicated to artwork and artists who activate, transmit, and celebrate folklore as a form of cultural expression and a strategy for community resilience.