Posted by Rose on May 6, 2009, from New York, New York
Community Partners: Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
Like the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. At the Museum of Modern Art, that same picture can spark a thousand memories. As part of its Meet Me at MoMA outreach program, the museum partnered with StoryCorps’ Memory Loss Initiative to assist its regular and most faithful visitors in capturing their lives’ most influential moments.
Throughout the afternoon, eight conversations were recorded on four StoryKits, affectionately known as our “recording studio in a briefcase,” between those living with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia and their family members and friends. A mother told her son of her part in the World War II war effort as an inspector for a parachute factory. A husband and wife remembered the family portrait drawn for them by their son. A niece chatted with her aunt about how she’d like to be remembered by the rest of their family. The scope of discussions was as bright and diverse as MoMA’s collection of pop art, and continued well after the recorders were stopped, spilling into its Metropolitan Garden reception.
Since 2006, StoryCorps’ Memory Loss Initiative has collected hundreds of recordings to support and encourage people with memory loss to share their stories. Our collaboration with MoMA was an innovative first for both organizations, whose programming invites the participation of Alzheimer’s groups and populations by providing much-needed creative space and flexibility. Hopefully, this is only the beginning.
To reserve your StoryKit through our Memory Loss Initiative, visit us at www.storycorps.org/initiatives/mli.
May 6th, 2009 at 5:46 pm
Great photos! I especially love the one of the people hugging next to the statue. Many thanks to MoMA for sponsoring this.
May 12th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
I love that first photo. It looks like you all had fun up there. Stop by the MobileBooth at Lincoln Center if you are in the neighborhood.