“Weaving an Address combines The Umbrella’s popular Art Ramble public art installation, on view April 15 through October 7 at Brister’s Hill in nearby Walden Woods, with an indoor exhibition on view April 14 through June 14 in The Umbrella’s Allie Kussin Gallery.” (quote from The Walden Woods Project events )

After one walk along Art Ramble on Brister’s Hill, I have many photos and much yet to discover about the compelling art and history here. This post, with quotes and links to resources, should serve as a starter for everything I hope to share about Weaving an Address in the months ahead!

“The exhibition features site-specific work by eight prominent Black artists combining sculpture, fiber art, installation and live performance inspired by little-known experiences of historical Black inhabitants of Concord and its Walden Woods.“(quote from The Walden Woods Project events )

“Featured artists in the exhibition include: Sharon Chandler Correnty, Ifé Franklin, Stephen Hamilton, Whitney Harris, Ekua Holmes, Perla Mabel, Marla McLeod, Kimberly Love Radcliffe, and Anthony Peyton Young” (quote from Umbrella Arts: Weaving an Address) Artworks by three of the eight artists, including curator Marla McLeod, are shown here, with plans to feature five more in sequel posts!

“Curated by Marla McLeod, the exhibition focuses on the experiences of formerly enslaved individuals in Concord, MA, particularly Brister Freeman—one of the first to gain “freedom” in the region. Through the lens of contemporary Black artists, the exhibition explores themes such as identity, history, family, and labor, offering a poignant reflection on the lives and legacies of this community.“(quote from Umbrella Arts: Weaving an Address)

“In the woods, follow the indigo blue markers and start to weave through the exhibition when you encounter Ifé Franklin’s Ancestral Slave Cabin. ” ( from Wayfinding Brochure for Weaving an Address Art Ramble)

“Ifé Franklin’s practice involves several genres of artmaking inspired by the lives of her ancestry which includes folk tales, slave narratives, dreams, dance, song, culinary arts, varied indigenous African spiritual traditions, photography, and film making.”( quote from Weaving an Address Artist Bios )

“Marla creates figural works using paintings, textiles, and sculpture. Her bodies of works are both 2-D and 3-D representations which highlight how historical events influence individual lives on a personal level.  The selected series of works reflect topics such as family, freedom, and social connections.“( quote from Weaving an Address Artist Bios )

“The Prospector is a large carved blue head, with half the face protruding sideways from the ground as if emerging—or being uncovered—from the earth. ….The work began as an exploration of the laboring body, fragmented and repositioned in relationship to the land.” ( quote from Weaving an Address Artist Bios Whit Harris artist statement about The Prospector)

“In considering the land’s history and the story of Brister Freeman, an early Black inhabitant of the area, I imagined a narrative in which he takes on the role of a prospector. I envisioned him contorting his body close to the land—pressing into it, listening through it—as a way of forming a deeper connection with it.“(quote from Weaving an Address Artist Bios Whit Harris artist statement about The Prospector)

“Set along the Thoreau Trail in Walden Woods, the outdoor exhibition is The Umbrella’s 2025 Art Ramble, featuring large-scale installations and sculptures that offer a visual narrative of the lived experiences, struggles, and resilience of Brister Freeman and other Black inhabitants of Concord. While often overshadowed by figures like the abolitionist Henry David Thoreau, who knew and wrote about Freeman, this exhibition focuses on those lives most directly shaped by the brutalities of slavery in the region.” (quote from Marla McLeod’s Curator’s Statement Umbrella Arts: Weaving an Address )

Key Resources:

Weaving an Address, The Umbrella Arts :https://theumbrellaarts.org/weaving-address includes curator statement, related events/news and links to valuable Wayfinding Brochure, Education Guide, and Artists’ Statements and Bios

Weaving an Address :The Walden Woods Project, Events: https://www.walden.org/events/weaving-an-address-by-the-umbrella-arts-center/, for relation to Concord history and literature

African American History is ‘Alive and Vibrant’ in Indoor/Outdoor Exhibit by Laurie O’Neill, The Concord Bridge, May, 2025: https://concordbridge.org/index.php/2025/05/16/african-american-history-is-alive-and-vibrant-in-indoor-outdoor-exhibit/ for valuable overview of indoor/outdoor connections