While walking around Harlem doing errands on a hot September day, I stopped into the Studio Museum on 125th Street. Barbarian that I am, as I sat looking at an installation by Detroit artist Maya Stovall, I realized that the mirrors she had installed parallel to each other in a small alcove might be an interesting idea to transplant into a home or work space.

Sally Schneider

The effect was expansive, ethereal…and somewhat unsettling. I wondered how it would be in a smallish room, and imagine that just the right size mirror would have to be figured out for it to work well. (And NOT be the experience of being in a rooms whose walls were entirely mirrored, a different effect altogether, particularly in bathrooms.)

As I sat looking at Stovall’s installation I realized that, despite my interior design fantasies, I was, nevertheless, doing exactly as she intended…

 

Sally Schneider

…acting as a performer in her space, and thereby activating the work.

Sally Schneider

If you’ve found illumination, joy, or inspiration in this post, please consider supporting Improvised Life. It only takes a minute to make a secure donation that helps pay our many costs. A little goes a long way towards helping Improvised Life continue to live ad-free in the world.

Support Improvised Life ♥

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *