Carve out time to stop into the Clark County Public Library for a pop-up art exhibit featuring Springfield history and focusing on mental health.
The Gammon House in partnership with the
Gem City Selfie Museum will present the
Together We Rise! Pop Up Exhibit Thursday, Oct. 20 through Sunday, Oct. 23 at the
Clark County Public Library, 201 S. Fountain Avenue, Springfield.
The Together We Rise! exhibit features interactive illustrations and installations known as Selfie Walls. Artists from the Gem City Selfie Museum designed and created the walls with an education objective that focuses on the theme by pulling inspiration from the Gammon House and Springfield.
The exhibit also promotes mental health management through color therapy.
“The Gammon House has adopted the mantra of ‘Together We Rise’ which was related to the Juneteenth Father Fest Celebration,” says Camille Hall, Gammon House board member. “When we were presented with the opportunity to bring this exhibit to Springfield, we thought it was timely to continue with that same theme.”
Hall says the Gammon House had been working to expand programming prior to the pandemic and recently received a grant from
City of Springfield related to programming.
“We wanted to have something interactive, that had cross generational appeal and also had a message behind it,” says Hall. “The message in part is sharing the story of the Gammon House, of Springfield, and also bringing awareness to mental health.”
Hall says organizers wanted to not only bring awareness to mental health but also help remove the stigma associated with mental health and mental health therapy.
“This is what lead us to the partnership with Gem City Selfie Museum,” says Hall. “They use color therapy to bring awareness to mental health and also educate …about the benefits of color therapy.”
Hall says the Together We Rise! exhibit provides the stage and platform for mental health professionals to be connected to the community.
The exhibit has been in the planning process for six months and the art panels will be available for use at future Gammon House events. The four panels pay ohmage to the Gammon House, Robert C. Henry, Springfield as the Rose City, and the City of Champions, which includes a mental health correlation.
“The installation will acknowledge mental health and the crisis in our community,” says Hall. “We have the capacity to rise above and be champions.”
Attendees are encouraged to take pictures and selfies with the art installations and share them using the hashtag: #togetherwerise2022. The Together We Rise! exhibit can be viewed during the library’s normal business hours.
Special events are also planned for each day:
Thursday, Oct. 20
5:30 p.m. - Opening Ceremony, including the reveal ceremony, where attendees will hear about the exhibit from the planning committee, partners and local leaders. This is open to the public and includes spoken word, live music and light refreshments.
Friday, Oct. 21
1-2 p.m. - Gammon House Underground Railroad Historic Landmark board members will share the history of the house during this event that is open to the public.
Saturday, Oct. 22
12:30-3 p.m. -
Southern Gateway Neighborhood Association will lead a Youth Summit in which youth ages 11-18 are invited to talk with a panel of community leaders about their experiences and challenges. Lunch will be provided to youth participants (limit 50). Mental health resource partners will also be on site.
Sunday, Oct. 23
2 p.m. - Dion Green of the
The Fudge Foundation will be leading a community discussion on Trauma and Healing.
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