In Sight: What the Unseen are Holding for Society

View the recording of this event here.

Brattleboro Retreat therapist Kurt White will discuss why we tend to avert our eyes when we walk past someone living on the street, why—from a psychological standpoint—we try not to see them. White will address how this situation came to be at a systems level, and, for those of us who are not living on the street, what it is that we unconsciously project onto this group of people. 

“What does it mean to ‘turn toward,’ really?” White said. “It’s an interesting phrase that comes up in different spiritual traditions, and I think it has to do with recognizing the non-differences between people, as well as what perpetuates our wish to divide things up, especially unconsciously and structurally.”

This talk is presented in conjunction with two exhibits related to homelessness, Steven Kinder: 522,830 and Coffee & Conversation: Stories of Homelessness, both on view through October 12, 2020. 

Taking its name from the number of people who were unsheltered in America in 2018, 522,830 features portraits of people experiencing homelessness whom Kinder has met over the years in New York City. 

Brattleboro artist Liz Lavorgna began working on Coffee & Conversation in 2015, in collaboration with filmmaker Wyatt Andrews and with support from Groundworks Collaborative. For this exhibit, LaVorgna revisits the project. 

ADMISSION: Free  

Attendees are invited to make a donation to Groundworks Collaborative, which provides ongoing support to families and individuals facing housing and food insecurities in the greater Brattleboro area.

Steven Kinder: 522,830 and Coffee & Conversation: Stories of Homelessness, and related events are presented in partnership with Groundworks Collaborative and supported in part by a grant from The Thomas Thompson Trust.

RELATED EVENTS:

March 14, Saturday, 3-5 p.m. – Opening of New Exhibits 
July 30, Thursday, 7:30 p.m. – Interview with Michael Christopher Brown
August 27, Thursday, 7:30 p.m. – Curator Tour: Katherine Gass Stowe
September 10, Thursday, 7:30 p.m. – In Sight: What the Unseen are Holding for Society
September 23, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. – Homelessness: The Big Picture
October 7, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. – No Place Like Home: Housing in Windham County