Media Advisory: Story of My Life: Facilitating storytelling when there is a language barrier

“Story of My Life” follows the lives of six intellectually and developmentally disabled adults. Through photography, written and spoken word, and various visual art forms, the stories of six remarkable men and women are told. “Everyone has a story,” says Phoebe Zerwick, a lecturer in the English Department at Wake Forest University. “We want to tell the stories of people who are often marginalized in our culture, but whose lives are filled with meaning, joy and a profound sense of community.”

Who: Christine Rucker produced the documentary and exhibit with Phoebe Zerwick, a lecturer in the English Department at Wake Forest University, and Michelle Johnson, a multimedia storyteller and journalist.

The Humanities Institute at Wake Forest University provided funding for the project as part of a larger effort to bring the humanities to the general public and to support university and community partnerships in the humanities. The six adults featured in the exhibit live in homes managed by Group Homes of Forsyth County.

What: The adults featured in the exhibit worked individually with artists to find a medium that spoke to them, and then produced sculpture, prints and jewelry. They also worked with photographer Christine Rucker to document their lives, capturing images of people they are close to and features in the landscape that inspire them.

Where: The Eleanor and Egbert Davis Gallery at the Sawtooth School for Visual Art in the Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts (251 N. Spruce St., Winston-Salem)

When: The opening reception is on Friday, Oct. 11, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The reception is free and open to the public. The project will be on exhibit until Nov. 14.

 

About Wake Forest University

Wake Forest University combines the best traditions of a small liberal arts college with the resources of a large research university. Founded in 1834, the school is located in Winston-Salem, N.C. The University’s graduate school of arts and sciences, divinity school, and nationally ranked schools of law, medicine and business enrich our intellectual environment. Learn more about Wake Forest University at www.wfu.edu.

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