Talks & Thinkers
Upcoming Events
What does it mean to belong in a public space? How can we foster community involvement and participation through architecture and design? Hear the answers to these questions and more as Koray Duman and Setha Low join us at The Church for a panel discussion on the role of public space in society.
The panel was conceived of by Koray Duman, a NYC-based architect whose practice concerns public interactions with the built environment. In preparing for an extended stay in Sag Harbor as a resident at The Church, Duman began a dialogue with Setha Low, an expert on public spaces. Low is a Distinguished Professor of Environmental Psychology, Geography, Anthropology, and Women’s Studies, and Director of the Public Space Research Group at the Graduate Center, City University of New York. Together, they share decades of combined experience across the fields of cultural affairs, environmentalism, and public design.
In their talk, our speakers will highlight how strategic design can amplify human interactions, while temporary activations cultivate generosity and belonging. They will also discuss the tools and resources that citizens can use to take over (politically), enjoy (personally), and participate (culturally) in public spaces.
Following the event, a public dinner will be hosted in the garden of The Church. In the spirit of activating public space and bringing together community, it will be free and open to all.
Join us for an open-studio visit with two of our current artists-in-residence, Alison Cynamon and Rayos Magos.
As an author, illustrator, and public artist, Cynamon creates work ranging from the development of storybooks and narrative drawings to the planning and design of murals and installations. Currently, her work centers on the writing and illustration of children’s books, pairing imaginative stories with playful characters and designs.
Magos, a multidisciplinary artist, draws inspiration and influence from his ethnic identity as a Chicano (Mexican American/Latinx). Working across a variety of media, he investigates symbolism and storytelling within Chicano culture in his work, blending personal narratives with universal themes to examine the past, future, and present.
Stop by anytime between noon and 2 p.m. to observe and reflect as Cynamon and Magos introduce and discuss their practices and works in progress, highlighting the developments made while in residence.
Answer.
That you are here—that life exists and identity,
That the powerful play goes on,
and you may contribute a verse
-Walt Whitman
The Power of Poetry returns for the next verse! The Church is excited to invite you to join us for the third iteration of our poetry ‘read-in’ series Verse 3: I’m with the Banned, exploring poems and voices who have encountered resistance and censorship of expression. From Shakespeare to Shel Silverstein, poets throughout history have had their poems banned, restricted, censored, or challenged. What are the grounds for the limitations of expression? Let’s find out! Join us to give voice to poets Gwendolyn Brooks,Amanda Gorman, Shel Silverstein, Walt Whitman, Oscar Wilde and more.
This recurring program brings us together to celebrate poetry, the beauty of words, and the power of capturing the human experience through a community-driven poetry read-in. Each session features a curated selection of poems tied by a common theme. Readers are assigned a number upon arrival and read in order. Poems are not pre-selected, rehearsed, or memorized but are actively engaged with as the reader steps up to the mic. Feedback from the community has been overwhelmingly positive, with many sharing that this format helps both listeners and readers feel liberated from ego and fully immersed in the poem.
We invite you to read, listen, and think about poetry in real-time in our main gallery space and join the community discussion following the read-in.
April 27th Query: What would you do if you knew you wouldn’t fail?
Still, Small Voice draws its name from the idea of the "still, small voice" within—a quiet, inner voice that guides us in moments of reflection. This monthly gathering, started in 2023 as an artistic experiment, now returns as a community-led practice with rotating facilitators. It invites participants to engage in silent reflection and thoughtful sharing, centered around a question about creativity, community, and being human. We forever ever grateful for Nanao Anton & Erling Hope for their contributions, inspirations, and commitment.
This is a space to hear your and others’ authentic voices & own it in community, free of judgement or reaction, as necessary
This is not group therapy, a study group, a political action group or Quaker Meeting.
Please review our Community Values before attending.
Join artist April Gornik for a richly illustrated virtual walk-through of the Figures du Fou (Figures of the Fool) exhibition that opened on October 16, 2024 at the Louvre Museum and closed on February 5, 2025. Figures of the Fool was brilliantly curated by Elisabeth Antoine-König and Pierre-Yves Le Pogam. April will share slides, talk about the curators’ intent, and introduce her own insights and ideas. Along the way, April will invite thoughts and comments from the audience and, at the end, there will be a more formal question-and-answer period.
Figures of the Fool: From the Middle Ages to the Romantics offered a deep dive into the meaning of “the fool” in a multitude of contexts: books, illustrations of the Bible, sainthood, brothels, at court, on the battlefield, in positions of power, and in positions of poverty. Fools had an extraordinary popularity from the 13th through the 16th centuries, with new notions of the fool reignited in the public imagination during the age of Romanticism as well as at the beginning of psychology. Fools included hermits, simpletons, saints, sinners mocking courtly love, party animals, buffoons both royal and common, mad kings, seekers and seers, licentious seducers, jugglers, conjurers, and, not least of all, artists.
The fool’s legacy has endured even into present-day art, politics, and theater. Certain streets in Paris are still referred to as Rues de la Folie, meaning “Streets of Madness,” indicating that they were or had been red-light districts. Playing cards still have jokers. And Van Gogh and his phenomenal popularity can be seen as one of our great Fools for Art. As truth-tellers to kings, fools still bear witness to the folly of human behavior.
How well do you know Nada Barry? Join us in giving a warm welcome to our latest Knowledge Friday Speaker! A pillar of the Sag Harbor community, deeply involved in its success, spirit, and integrity — as well as, of course, being the proprietor of the beloved Wharf Shop on Main Street — Nada is an easily recognizable and beloved Sag Harborian. Presenting the “adventures of a life well lived,” Nada will tell all, sharing autobiographical anecdotes and her zest for life. Following the discussion there will be a Q&A.
Nada was born in England in 1930 and arrived in the United States just before the onset of World War II. Her life has taken her around the world on various daring journeys, from her years sailing the Caribbean to the time she traveled with her family through Mexico City in a Winnebago, and her stories are rich with experience, wit, and laughter. She has co-founded a school and dedicated herself to the needs of the South Fork’s young people, and her experience at the Wharf Shop has been most rewarding. At 94, she is an indispensable source of insight, intrigue, and inspiration. Join us as we learn from a local legend who knows a thing or two about creativity — and how to harness it in your everyday life.
We are delighted to welcome Jill Bialosky, acclaimed editor and writer of History of a Suicide and Poetry Will Save Your Life, back to The Church to discuss her latest publication, The End Is the Beginning: A Personal History of My Mother. This profoundly moving elegy is a brave and compassionate examination of the life and death of Jill’s mother, told in reverse order from burial to birth. After reading from the book, Jill will be joined in conversation by Executive Director Sheri Pasquarella to discuss the impetus for the memoir, illuminate audiences to the stylistic choice of reverse storytelling, and more. The floor will then be open to questions from the audience. Following the program, there will be a book signing with the author. The event commemorates the book’s release from Washington Square Press on May 6th, 2025.
The End Is the Beginning begins with Iris Yvonne Bialosky’s death in an assisted-care facility on March 29, 2020 — an event compounded by the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, which prevented Jill from being with her mother in her final moments and kept her from attending her funeral. Jill then takes readers on a journey backward through time, exploring the many nuances of Iris’s life in ways that are simultaneously celebratory, elegiac, and probing. The book is a poignant reminder that we are all the sum of our experiences and illuminates Iris as a multidimensional, fascinating woman who raised four daughters on her own.
Join us Mother’s Day weekend with a book that traces’ one daughter’s inextricable bond to her mother, join in her compassionate celebration of Iris’s life, and help frame the portrait of healing through remembrance and understanding.
Join us for a day of discovery, connection, and empowerment through the nature in our own backyard! We invite you to an enriching Wellness Monday led by Chenae Bullock, a knowledgeable and passionate licensed indigenopathic practitioner from the Shinnecock Nation. Participants will be immersed in the rich traditions of indigenous plant medicine, focusing on the unique flora native to our region.
A hands-on experience, this Wellness Monday offers attendees the opportunity to engage with several indigenous plants, including cedar, white pine, sassafras, mullein, and sweetgrass. These plants have long been valued for their medicinal properties and cultural significance. Participants will learn about their uses and get a chance to prepare them, learning how to utilize these plant medicines in a meaningful way.
We invite those who are looking to deepen their understanding of indigenous healing practices, cultivate skills in plant medicine, and to connect with the natural world to this inspiring and educational experience.
This special Wellness Monday is presented as a part of our current exhibition Eternal Testament, curated by Jeremy Dennis and Meranda Roberts; please click here for more information on the exhibition.
Join us for an artist talk and process demonstration with Chié Shimizu. Primarily a sculptor, Shimizu examines the human condition through representations of figure and form, creating lifelike sculptures that portray individuals frozen in various states of movement and emotion. Each figure is meticulously sculpted in clay, then cast with plaster, painted by hand, and adorned with textures, designs, and objects reflective of a life story.
In her presentation, Shimizu will discuss the evolution and development of her practice, from early inspirations to recent and ongoing works. Following a slideshow, Shimizu will illuminate her process, sharing exclusive insight into the sculpting, molding, casting, and hand-painting behind each piece. The event will conclude with a Q&A.
“May our paths lead us to a time when we shall live together in Peace on Good Mother Earth.”
Join the Rev. Holly Haile Thompson, the first Indigenous woman to become Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church,USA, as she follows the tradition laid down by her mother, Elizabeth “Chee Chee” Thunderbird Haile. Having often accompanied her mother to give presentations at local schools, Thompson continues the tradition of educating the community on the history of the Shinnecock Nation, on whose land we gather.
Reverend Thompson will discuss the meaning behind words, dances, and music — “things that are living” — and create an environment of understanding, dispelling ignorance and creating a bridge between cultures. Thompson invites audiences to consider “the lives, the humanity, the past” of the Shinnecock people and how they are “intrinsically related to anything that happens in our territory.” After her talk, there will be a Q&A.
This unique program is presented as a part of our current exhibition Eternal Testament, curated by Jeremy Dennis and Meranda Roberts; please click here for more information on the exhibition.
Join us in welcoming Adrienne Terry, visual artist and community advocate, as our Insight Sunday speaker for May. Terry will expand on the process behind Dreamcatcher, a dreamcatcher that goes beyond the traditional and that is included in our spring exhibition, Eternal Testament. Terry will explore the techniques used to etch symbols and motifs, elaborate on her choice of materials, and examine the tools she has used and some she is currently experimenting with. Following the discussion there will be a Q&A.
Symbolizing Terry’s deep connection to her Shinnecock roots and incorporating communal and personal narratives, Dreamcatcher puts a spotlight on material usage — featuring shells, feathers, and wampum pieces — and depicts the Shinnecock seal. Going beyond a traditional dreamcatcher, the work serves as an educational tool and is an act of cultural preservation.
This special Insight Sunday is presented as a part of our current exhibition Eternal Testament, curated by Jeremy Dennis and Meranda Roberts; please click here for more information on the exhibition.
Join us for a special discussion with Jaime T. Herrell, an independent curator and education program developer, as she examines the intersection of her curatorial work and the themes of resistance, witnessing, and reclaiming space that are alive and vibrant in Eternal Testament. Herrell will take a deeper dive into a few works: Natalie Ball’s You Usually Bury the Head in the Woods Trophy Head, James Luna’s Take a Picture with a Real Indian, Marie Watt’s Placeholder (Horizon), and Cara Romero’s Last Indian Market.
Following the in-depth look at the works, Herrell will engage the audience in a thoughtful and interactive discussion, inviting a conversation that asks attendees to think beyond land acknowledgement. How do we support Indigenous artists, land sovereignty, and Indigenous futurism in tangible ways?
April 27th Query: who do you think you are?
Still, Small Voice draws its name from the idea of the "still, small voice" within—a quiet, inner voice that guides us in moments of reflection. This monthly gathering, started in 2023 as an artistic experiment, now returns as a community-led practice with rotating facilitators. It invites participants to engage in silent reflection and thoughtful sharing, centered around a question about creativity, community, and being human. We forever ever grateful for Nanao Anton & Erling Hope for their contributions, inspirations, and commitment.
This is a space to hear your and others’ authentic voices & own it in community, free of judgement or reaction, as necessary
This is not group therapy, a study group, a political action group or Quaker Meeting.
Please review our Community Values before attending.
“If our time on earth is to endure, we must love the earth in the strong, unsentimental way of traditional peoples, not seeking to exploit but to live in balance with the natural world.”
— Peter Matthiessen, from Indian Country
We are honored to welcome Chief Oren Lyons and Shane “Bizhiki Nibauit” Weeks as the inaugural speakers for The Matthiessen Talks, a new collaborative series dedicated to exploring the profound relationships between humanity and nature. This series, inspired by the legacy of the late Peter Matthiessen — author, explorer, naturalist, and Zen Roshi — aims to bring together voices who share his commitment to environmental stewardship, Indigenous knowledge, and spiritual harmony.
Chief Oren Lyons and Shane Weeks will each share brief presentations before engaging in a thought-provoking dialogue about generational perspectives, shared values, and the wisdom passed down through their respective cultures. They will later be joined by Rex Lyons, son of Chief Oren Lyons, who will serve as a bridge between the two generations. The discussion will be followed by an audience Q&A, moderated by Alex Matthiessen.
April 27th Query: What does it mean to be fully alive?
Still, Small Voice draws its name from the idea of the "still, small voice" within—a quiet, inner voice that guides us in moments of reflection. This monthly gathering, started in 2023 as an artistic experiment, now returns as a community-led practice with rotating facilitators. It invites participants to engage in silent reflection and thoughtful sharing, centered around a question about creativity, community, and being human. We forever ever grateful for Nanao Anton & Erling Hope for their contributions, inspirations, and commitment.
This is a space to hear your and others’ authentic voices & own it in community, free of judgement or reaction, as necessary
This is not group therapy, a study group, a political action group or Quaker Meeting.
Please review our Community Values before attending.
