Philadelphia, PA
Risa Puno: Group Hug
Would you rather work to care for others, or have others work to care for you?
Risa Puno’s first museum solo exhibition takes the form of an interactive installation that explores the complex social relationships inherent in receiving and providing care. Taking its name from the answer to a New York Times crossword clue— “Many-person act of support or affection”—Group Hug uses the language of games to weave together themes of caregiving, cultural identity, and familial dynamics. The result of a two-year residency and created in collaboration with the FWM Studio, the exhibition invites the public to engage in gameplay with unexpected incentives and outcomes. Upon entering the exhibition, visitors are presented with a choice of two paths: ‘Care For’ or ‘Cared For’. This implied question about what someone needs or wants, or perhaps just the role that they habitually fill, is the beginning of an immersive journey that blends elements of games and collaboration. Depending on their chosen path, visitors will either play an exhilarating multi-person game that evokes feelings of urgency, camaraderie, and either triumph or disappointment, or relax among green felted leaves in geometric pods that resemble giant coconut shells. For the artist, the dynamic interplay between these experiences is a manifestation of the work and effort that goes into caring for one another. Inspired by recent events from Puno’s life that caused family members of varying generations to face new complexities and challenges related to giving and receiving care, this candy-colored installation represents Puno’s unique halo halo of experiences (a Tagalog term meaning ‘mix mix’) and is reflective of her multicultural background. Central to Group Hug and much of Puno’s work is the pre-colonial Philippine concept of kapwa, which represents a deeply shared identity and the belief that we have a moral imperative to care for others as we do ourselves. Group Hug offers a space for contemplation, interaction, and playful exploration about the impact of our choices on our collective well-being.
Audience Role
Museum goer.
Ages: All ages
Content Advisories
Interaction Advisories
Mobility Advisories
Tags
1
Events
3
Years on EI
About The Fabric Workshop and Museum
The Fabric Workshop and Museum (FWM) is an internationally acclaimed contemporary art museum devoted both to the creation and presentation of innovative works of art. Its Artist-in-Residence Program provides artists at all stages of their careers with the opportunity to collaborate with FWM as they experiment with new materials and new media, taking their work in fresh and often unexpected directions. Founded in 1977 by Marion “Kippy” Boulton Stroud (1939-2015), FWM presents ambitious exhibitions which convey a story of contemporary art that unites process with finished works. FWM originally invited artists to experiment with fabric, and later with a wide range of innovative materials and media. From the outset, FWM also served as an education center for Philadelphia’s youth who, as printing apprentices, learned technical and vocational skills along with approaches to creative expression. Today, FWM is recognized as an internationally acclaimed contemporary art museum, working in collaboration with artists coming from diverse artistic backgrounds including sculpture, installation, video, painting, photography, ceramics, and architecture. Research, construction, and fabrication occur on site in studios (open by appointment) providing visitors with the opportunity to see artwork from conception to completion. FWM’s permanent collection includes not only completed works of art, but also material research, samples, prototypes, and photography and video of artists making and speaking about their work. This collection and archive, as well as publications, preserve and document the arc of artistic production. FWM brings this spirit of artistic investigation and discovery to the wider public and to local students in particular, ensuring and broadening their access to art and advancing its role as a catalyst for innovation and social connection.