The May Room is the latest in a series of installations as part of Shantell Martin on Governors Island, commissioned by the Trust for Governors Island’s 2019 Public Art Commission. Welcoming the public inside the building for the first time in 20 years, The May Room, expands on the exterior of the former military chapel, having been built during World War II as Our Lady Star of the Sea, a Roman Catholic chapel serving the U.S. Army members staying on the base then, was originally a place of reflection, meditation, and community—and is again today, courtesy of The May Room.
It will be open weekends through the end of the Island’s season and will also host free public programs including a series of readings presented by the Poetry Society of America, featuring poets from national organizations Kundiman and CantoMundo.
Shantell Martin is a visual artist, intuitive philosopher, cultural facilitator, teacher, choreographer, songwriter, performer, and more. From fashion and celebrity collaborations to adjunct professor positions at MIT Media Lab, NYU Tisch ITP, Columbia University’s Brown Institute, and choreographing a ballet at the Boston Ballet, Shantell’s LINE constantly evolves.Creating new connections between fine art, education, design, philosophy, and technology, Shantell explores themes such as intersectionality, identity, and play.
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