Roger Williams Park
Roger Williams Park, also known as “the people’s park,” is 435 acres of green space on the City’s southern border with neighboring Cranston. An important part of the area watershed, still recovering from decades of industrial harm, the park has numerous commemorative works scattered throughout its grounds.
Raffini - (Eye) Am Woman
“(Eye) Am Woman” is a new sculptural bench conceived of by local actor, poet, oral historian, and playwright Raffini. The work offers the public a place to sit and reflect in honor of the many women who have been intentionally marginalized out of historical narratives, everyday women (Drylongso), and for those still experiencing oppression today.
A former educator who has been enlightening young people most of her life, Raffini is also the Director of youth programs at the Southside Community Land Trust and recipient of the 2023 Christiana Carteaux Bannister Award. “I (Eye) Am Woman” has been produced in collaboration with a local tree farmer, a fellow storyteller and author, and Raffini’s sister Stephanie, an artist and youth educator. The site surrounding the bench will be activated on select dates by singers, poets, and storytellers.
Sheida Soleimani - Memory Bird
“Memory Bird” is a sculptural fountain produced by artist and federally licensed bird rehabilitator Sheida Soleimani. Sheida has been using her experiences with bird rehabilitation to inform her practice as an artist interrogate what it means to be in community with the non-human. Featuring a collection of terracotta and glass birds atop a copper basin, her installation seeks to commemorate the birds that have passed away in Roger Williams Park. While bringing attention to the deaths of these countless birds at the Park, the piece also hopes to provide an element of care for the existing birds and will be designed specifically for them. As such, the “opening reception” will be livestreamed so as not to disturb the space for its avian visitors.
Through the past year, Sheida has invited the community to participate in numerous bird release events, and this sculptural piece will be the culmination of her interventions at the Providence Commemoration Lab.
Linsey Wallace - Community Reflection
“Community Reflection” is an interactive multimedia work by artist Linsey Wallace, located at Roger Williams Park. This sculptural installation is a mirror echoing the voices of Roger Williams Park neighbors. “Community Reflection” seeks to commemorate the community of South Providence through the statement “we are here”.
In the lead up to this installation, Linsey has produced several performances and community interventions at Roger Williams Park, engaging both personal and communal memory through the visual cues, symbols, materials and interactions folded into her performances. In developing “Community Reflection” Linsey is again working through various creative strategies to engage Roger Williams Park neighbors and invite them to contribute to the final intervention.
Artists at this site:
+ Raffini
+ Sheida Soleimani
+ Linsey Wallace
Writer at this site:
+ Karla Alba
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