The Jim Rouse Visionary Center opened this weekend – a major new facility for AVAM as it expands its visionary mission to include programs, classrooms, and large format exhibits. And I’m very pleased to participate with an installation of Storytelling Kiosk (look for it on the second floor, as you enter from the elevators), gathering stories from visitors about what they can do to improve their communities.
One of the highlights for me at the opening: showing the kiosk to sculptor Andrew Logan who flew in from London. His six foot Cosmic Egg sculpture provided the basis for our opening animation. This is one of the true pleasures of working in the museum field: the Cosmic Egg became the center of my focus for weeks as we build the story gathering program around its metaphor of birth and creation. (Reminds me of the time I focused on the Smithsonian National Zoo’s giant pandas for two weeks, logging over 12 hours of panda footage to create the Zoo’s CD-ROM. I still see the image of a panda sometimes when I close my eyes.)
I’m appreciate to AVAM for the opportunity to make their visionary mission part of my life.
