I-Park Celebrates its 20th Anniversary and Announces its Award from the NEA
This Funding Will Support I-Park’s 2021 Environmental (Site-Responsive) Art Residency & Biennale.
Peachwood Circle and Other Southern Gothics by Marvin Toure
For many years, creative individuals from around the world have been gravitating to the artists’ colony at I-Park in rural East Haddam, CT – for a quiet retreat from the workaday world and to new make discoveries and create new works, including elaborate installations set into the unique natural setting that exists there.
This year, the non-profit I-Park Foundation is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a series of public events: an experimental fundraiser featuring the works of previous I-Park composers-in-residence, the public opening of its eighth biennial Environmental Art Exhibition (including two special Anniversary Commissions), volunteering opportunities and intimate guided walks through its elaborate system of art/nature trails – during which fascinating insights into I-Park’s storied history will be revealed.
Event Dates are as Follows:
Volunteers Day: Friday, September 17, 8:30 – 1:30 Volunteers Day: Saturday, September 18, 8:30 – 1:30 Site Responsive Art Biennale, Saturday, September 18, 2:00 – 6:00 (rain date, following day)
Music Along the Trails: Fundraising Benefit, Saturday, September 25, 4:00 – 7:00
Founder’s Guided Trail Walk: The First 20 Years, Friday, October 1, 5:00 – 7:00
Open Trails: Saturday in the Park, Saturday, October 2, 9:00 to 2:00
Founder’s Guided Trail Walk: The First 20 Years, Friday, November 5, 5:00 – 7:00
Open Trails: Saturday in the Park, Saturday, November 6, 9:00 to 2:00
The Lily Project by Haamee Han
SITE-RESPONSIVE ART BIENNALE OPENING ON SEPTEMBER 18: FREE COMMUNITY EVENT
A diverse group of sixteen artists from around the country will premiere nine new artworks on the land. An additional forty existing environmental artworks will also be available for viewing. I-Park’s Anniversary Commission artists, Marvin Touré and Sui Park, installed their works this spring. These existing works will be joined by brand new installations by Die-cast (led by Brenna Geffers and doug greene), Pennsylvania, Gibson + Recoder, New York, Paul Golisz, New York, Benjamin Heller, New York, Le’Andra Leseur, New Jersey, Thomas Putzier, Minnesota, Daniel Shieh, New York/Taiwan – and their collaborating team members. All the artists were selected by a prestigious curatorial panel consisting of JoAnne Northrup, Stephen Talasnik and Sarah E. Brook.
MUSIC ALONG THE TRAILS: FUNDRAISING BENEFIT ON SEPTEMBER 25
To commemorate its 20th Anniversary, I-Park will host an outdoor benefit, Music Along the Trails, which will feature a quarter-mile audio trail presenting musical selections by former I-Park composers-in-residence from the past twenty years. Guests are invited to experience music in a new way while enjoying farm-fresh food catered by G-Monkey and select wines. Tickets to the benefit are $100 and can be purchased on-line at i-park.org or by calling 860-306-0636. All proceeds support the artists-in-residence programming at the (501(c)3) I-Park Foundation, Inc.
Tickets for all events are available by visiting i-park.org. For additional event information or questions, write events@i-park.org or call 860-306-0636.
In accordance with the State of Connecticut Reopening Guidelines, all I-Park events practice social distancing procedures during check-in and throughout the event to ensure our guest’s and staff’s safety. Face masks will not be required while hiking on our trails. I-Park is dedicated to everyone’s personal health and is eager to welcome the public for a safe, relaxing day of walking and hiking!
