CAMTalk: History Series Creating the Vessels of Slavery Project

Description

Over the past two years, artists IlaSahai Prouty, Christle Rawlins-Jackson, and Susi Ryan have researched, discussed, and designed Vessels of Slavery, a public history project that creates opportunities for all members of the Cape Ann community to learn about the lives of people enslaved in this region and to process the local impact of the institution of slavery. 

The outdoor installation on view this summer at the CAM Green is the culmination of four week-long residencies between March 2023 – August 2024. During their visits to Cape Ann, the artists stayed at the Manship Artists Residency while researching the history of slavery in the CAM Library & Archives, visiting several local institutions, offering opportunities for engaged community dialog, and designing an interactive, outdoor installation for the Cape Ann Museum Green based in the stories they found. 

In this panel discussion, the artists will discuss the process and thinking behind the project. They’ll share what they’ve learned, about the history of slavery and about the challenges and rewards of designing an interactive public history project to share that history. 

The Vessels of Slavery project is funded by the Cape Ann Museum with support from the MassHumanities Expanding Massachusetts Stories Grant and the Essex Heritage Partnership Grant. The residency stays at Manship Artists Residency are funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Prometheus Circle of the Manship Artists Residency, and the Revered Anne Deneen.