Boston Common - Niche Media - A side of Boston that's anything but common.
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/835998
PHOTOGRAPHY BY HEIDI LEG (TAYLOR) left: Consenses founder and musical artist Sally Taylor; right: the Consenses exhibit features one message that is interpreted through an artist's eyes, from fine arts painter Allen Whiting to comedian/ musician Reggie Watts. THROUGH HER ART EXHIBIT CONSENSES, SALLY TAYLOR HAS TAPPED THE TALENT OF CARLY SIMON TO JIMMY BUFFET. NEXT UP? OUR COUNTRY'S KIDS. BY CHUCK ANSBACHER REACHING CONSENSUS There's no question that music is in Sally Taylor's DNA. But now, the daugh- ter of legendary singers Carly Simon and James Taylor can add paint- ing, poetry, dance, and sculpture to her artistic provenance. Taylor, a Martha's Vineyard na- tive, is the mastermind behind Consenses, an epic exhibit—an artistic game of "telephone," if you will—consisting of 150 multi-disciplinary artists from singer Jimmy Buffett to writer Susan Minot. Each artist received, in- terpreted, recreated, and passed along an original work of art to the next person. Then, the pro- cess starts all over again. Taylor recently developed Consenses into a school curriculum for students to learn how to commu- nicate through art. With the backing of Boston phi- lanthropist Mahsa Noble, Taylor hopes to broaden the program nationwide. The question: "Can we use art as a language rather than relying on verbal com- munication to express our- selves and understand each other on a much deeper and intimate level?" The curriculum: "Con- senses gives kids a larger platform from which to ex- press themselves and rec- ognize that everybody's voice and perspective matter equally." The end result will be exhibited at Mass MoCA in 2018. In the end…: "Consen- sus means tossing out the majority of each person's perspective in exchange for one common belief. In art, you can let every- body's perspective be a bigger, broader lens." A party and fundraiser will be hosted by Esmeralda Swartz and Mahsa Noble on Martha's Vineyard in Edgartown in mid-August. Find out more at consenses.org . 62 BOSTONCOMMON-MAGAZINE.COM SCENE ART AT TACK