The Birdsell Art Installation Project opened a 12,000 square foot mansion for artists to repurpose.

Constructed in the 1890’s, The Birdsell Mansion sat vacant for several decades. In October of 2014 it was reopened so artists could invoke a uniquely intimate and haunting experience for those adventurous enough to visit.

For this installation, I collected and curated narrative experiences from the South Bend community, interweaving multiple perspectives of local mythology, contemporary community identity, and the city's engagement with history. This manifested as dark folk lore vignettes: a reflection of the Birdsell family's history (particularly of its women) as a darkly constructed identity that, as we look back upon it, cants and fades under our gaze. The viewer is also asked to participate in knitting together an overarching narrative.