A sign reading “Americanitis” in neon-script on a red background - with round white marquee lightbulbs as a border, is drawing patrons to one end of Building 6 at MASS MoCA in North Adams, Massachusetts. This particular space at the contemporary art museum, which opened in 1999 and added this building in 2017, is called “The Prow” - and this is the first time it’s held an interactive exhibition.
Alison Pebworth’s Cultural Apothecary opened at the end of February in and features a tea service and several invitations to reflect on how you are feeling through emotion identification and surveys. Pebworth’s work aims to inspire viewers to participate in reflective conversation about society and humanity. She’s spent her residency time with MASS MoCA very often in North Adams proper, hoping to encourage engagement in the community by modeling it.
Kristy Edmunds is the Director of MASS MoCA. The installation is commissioned as part of Edmund's visiting artist Director Initiatives, with curatorial support from Evan Garza and Alexandra Foradas.
