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The Institute for the Humanities has announced a new streaming video series, House Calls: Virtual Studio Visits with Michigan Artists in a Pandemic. The series, which begins April 15, will feature virtual studio visits with ten artists across Michigan, produced via video chat with Institute for the Humanities curator and staff. 

House Calls is the first foray into virtual programming from the Institute for the Humanities Gallery and made possible by a generous grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The gallery is an exhibition space known as a vibrant, lively site for the exploration of art, contemporary issues, and social justice in southeast Michigan. 

"House Calls emphasizes the role of the artist and the humanities in society—especially through challenging times—to find meaning and make sense of our human experience,” explained Amanda Krugliak, curator at the Institute for the Humanities Gallery. 

“We’ll be checking in with artists around the state,” Krugliak said. “Each conversation will be generated through a series of questions as to how this new reality is shaping the way artists are making and thinking. The series provides human connection and support, creating a social and visual platform for artists.” 

Rooted both in visual curation and community outreach, House Calls will focus on emerging artists representative of diverse media and artist communities around the state. The format was inspired by the virtual gatherings taking place because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the reassurance and strength that has come from those connections.

“The arts and humanities can offer human connection in this time of isolation and uncertainty,” said Peggy McCracken, director of the Institute for the Humanities. “Literature, music, and the visual arts invite us to see and hear the world through somebody else's perspective, and with House Calls, we’ve commissioned Michigan artists to speak with us about how they are coping with and responding to our newly configured world.”

House Calls Artist Lineup
4/15 - Sarah Rose Sharp, Detroit
4/22 - Sajeev Visweswaran, Ann Arbor and New Delhi, India
4/29 - Judy Bowman, Romulus
5/06 - Mandy Cano Villalobos, Grand Rapids
5/13 - Lavinia Hanachiuc, Ann Arbor
5/20 - Rashaun Rucker, Detroit 
5/27 - Yen Azzaro, Ypsilanti
6/3 -   Ricky Weaver, Ypsilanti
6/10 - Ijania Cortez, Detroit
6/17 - Levon Kafafian, Detroit