E33: How can art help us reveal hidden histories and imagine transformative futures? Space, Place, and Mobility Part 1 (w/ Alisha B. Wormsley)
For the inaugural episode in our new series on Space, Place, and Mobility, re:verb co-producer Sophie Wodzak sits down with Alisha B. Wormsley, a Pittsburgh-based interdisciplinary artist and cultural producer. Wormsley’s work bridges public art, social engagement, science fiction, and political activism to reveal forgotten histories and imagine alternative futures. Through innovative public works like the There Are Black People in the Future billboard (which we discussed back in Episode 6), The People are the Light, and her current project, the Sibyls Shrine Residency Program, Wormsley uses her art to engage a diverse array of audiences in exploring the beauty and rich history of black communities in Pittsburgh.
In this interview, Sophie talks with Alisha about her past and present work and the ways that it plays with concepts of space and place to help us critically interrogate our notions of belonging and community. They also discuss the self-transformative power of traditionally-marginalized knowledges such as black witchcraft, and how such practices are being revived in contemporary art and culture as modes of empowerment.
Links to Alisha Wormsley’s Work:
https://alishabwormsley.com/projects
https://alishabwormsley.com/public-works
https://alishabwormsley.com/film
https://alishabwormsley.com/exhibitions