In the Chatham, New York/Art Omi Collaborative Project, five residents of Columbia County created a dialogue about upstate New York. Through interviews and questions they developed themselves,participants defined and described the story of their community. Thoughts on the influx of new residents or weekend residents, the development of new commercial manufacturing plants, and the separated social strata in the community were some considerations of this collaboration. The Chatham residents voiced issues and values of many small towns in their reflection, and in their drive to humanely improve themselves and their community.
After taking part in the interviews, the five participants were photographed and invited to Cook’s temporary studio to be further included in the art making process. Chatham residents met with artists at the Art Omi International Residency Program, and worked together to sketch projections from acetate drawings of their photographs.This project aimed to empower residents by beautifying their neighborhoodwith artworks that featured images of themselves and their voices, and that they were directly involved in creating.
Tommy Carluchi (pictured above) was originally part of a triptych installed in a field near a busy intersection in the town of Chatham.
