The Fortune Society
Sep 9 – Oct 11, 2021
- Past
- Exhibition
Homeroom amplifies and celebrates the work of collectives, organizations, artists, and activists that are connected to PS1’s public programming and community allyship initiatives.
The Fortune Society (Fortune) activated Homeroom with art, poetry, and resources created by artists and mentors in their Creative Arts program. Located within walking distance of MoMA PS1, Fortune’s overarching mission is to support successful reentry from and promote alternatives to incarceration, thus strengthening the fabric of our communities.
The arts community at Fortune aligns itself with radical hope, and believes in the healing and transformative powers of imagination and creativity. The space is envisioned to ignite opportunities for connection, learning, continued creativity, and collective change. It presents texts and artworks from the latest edition of the Voices of Fortune publication, illustrations by Guy Woodard, photography and self portraits by community members, and a commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Attica Prison Uprising. Visitors can watch We Choose to Bloom, a film produced over a year-long collaboration between Fortune artists and PS1 set on Rashid Johnson’s Stage. Through the writing of postcards, guests are also invited to stand in solidarity with community members who are currently detained on Rikers Island.
Workshops, artist talks and community events were held in Homeroom throughout The Fortune Society’s five-week activation.
Video
We Choose to Bloom is a film set on Rashid Johnson’s Stage, and produced over a year-long collaboration between Fortune artists and MoMA PS1.
Video: Eva Cruz
Photo: Noel Woodford
Pennants & Poets
Pennants & Poets was an installation and spoken word event created by Jenny Polak in collaboration with writers from The Fortune Society and Hour Children Working Women hosted in the public plaza immediately in front of MoMA PS1’s main entrance. The event included an outdoor pennant-making workshop led by Jenny Polak followed by a reading of original work by writers from The Fortune Society. The event also featured 50 flying pennant flags printed with poems and messages from people who have been directly impacted by incarceration.
Resources
In addition to highlighting The Fortune Society’s artistry, the activation included We Are More Than a Label, a “language matters” zine created by Fortune community members and produced especially for PS1. It is an appeal to learn more about the use of humanizing, person-first language, and offers word choices that can be used when communicating about people affected by the (in)justice system.
