ArtistMonica Jahan Bose
SWIMMING
Date2024
MediumCotton hand-woven saris covered in woodblock and handpainted designs
Dimensions21 x 100 ft., (640 x 3,047.9 cm)
Credit LineDC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, Public Art Building Communities Grant (PABC)
Object numberDCCAH2024.076
ClassificationsSite-specific Installation
Locations
- Marie Reed Elementary School and Aquatics Center (2201 18th St)
DescriptionSWIMMING is a large-scale temporary site-specific fabric installation and "soundwalk" at the outdoor plaza of the Marie Reed Elementary School & Aquatics Center from June 2024-July 2024. Blue Bangladeshi saris are configured in a rectangular shape to evoke a swimming pool. More saris shimmer in a long band, suggesting a massive swell of water. A soundwalk with QR codes tells the story behind the project with poetry, music and video. The public art project, co-created with DCPS students and residents of DC and Bangladesh through multiple workshops, speaks to inequities with regard to swimming and climate change. To increase diversity and inclusion, the workshops include ASL, Spanish language interpretation, and stipends for participants. The saris are covered with water-themed woodblocks designed by Bose along with writings, art, and poetry by the community. The semi-transparent saris layer over and reveal the urban landscape, responding to the wind, weather, and changing light. The two-week installation is accompanied by public engagement events, including poetry slams and performances, film screenings/projections, and site visits/artist talks. Marie Reed is the former Morgan school, which was desegregated along with the Adams school, giving the name to the Adams Morgan neighborhood. SWIMMING is a visual representation of community building and resilience.
