On March 14th, 2022, the Joukowsky Institute hosted an exhibit opening for The Stories Objects Tell. We invited the artists who submitted work to the show as well as all members of the Brown University and Rhode Island School of Design communities. The event began at 4 PM, and it was a pleasure to see many show participants, visitors, and people affiliated with the Joukowsky Institute in attendance.
Peter van Dommelen, Director of the Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology and the Ancient World, began the event by welcoming attendants and introducing the exhibit. After Peter gave an opening speech, I spoke about my inspiration for the show and my gratitude to the artists. We then transitioned to allow the guests to tour Rhode Island Hall and view the artworks installed throughout the building. Visitors wandered through the first, second, and third floors of the Institute, following an exhibit map to locate artwork in the show.
During the remainder of the opening, artists and visitors chatted about the work and ventured throughout the Institute to view the exhibit. Several of the artists discussed the meaning and inspiration of their artwork in greater detail, and it was very exciting to learn all of the ways that the study of archaeology shaped and kindled their visions.
Peter later told me that the exhibit opening was the first large, in-person event at the Joukowsky Institute since the beginning of the pandemic. It was very exciting to hear this and to see so many members of the Brown and RISD communities together in one space. As a senior at Brown, it has been sad to see the ongoing pandemic limit opportunities for community and connection on campus over the past few years. Despite the many months of isolation that COVID engendered, I am thrilled to have spent my last few months at Brown engaging with peers, professors, and staff in a celebration of art and community.
