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Mutual Support-SaulRobbins-Office Mutual Support-How Can I Help_ __An Artful Dialogue-STAR-2016-20x20 inches

pression and health care are rooted in African traditions of dance the other five Saturdays, the office was “staffed” by representatives
and music; a church library that hosts several leaderless groups, of the service providers whose locations I photographed, intro-
and the offices of one such organization; the main library, where ducing new populations to local providers. The response was tre-
outreach services are available every Tuesday for homeless peo- mendously positive and pretty well subscribed, and it is exciting to
ple; a place that teaches Dance to school groups and the office of consider how this unique model might effect visitors’ perceptions
a Dance Movement Therapist in private practice; a neighborhood and responses to what mental health and wellness care means in
center offering affordable office space to such service providers as New Orleans.
massage, acupuncture, and psychotherapy; HIV / AIDS testing and How did you get started in photography?
counseling; the Musicians Clinic, which has been serving New Or- My father made pictures when he was young and on vacation, and
leans for almost 20 years; an organization helping victims of sexual on a family trip to India I brought along a Kodak Instamatic for an
abuse and trauma; and a grammar school that teaches self-aware- assignment and really liked the results. I took some classes in High
ness and communication skills, so that conflict, anger, love, and in- School and later apprenticed to a commercial photographer for
dividual needs are expressed in healthy and productive ways. The a year. With photography I could express myself with more con-
pop-up office was “decorated” with the photographs from these fidence than with drawing or painting and returned to college, in
thirteen locations, and furnished by West Elm. Every Saturday California, to complete my studies.
during the exhibition, meetings were scheduled for visitors who What inspires you to create art?
wanted to speak about anything they wish confidentially and for To express myself in ways which resonate with viewers by stim-
free. On the first Saturday of the exhibition I sat for five hours and ulating new insights and ideas about the world in which we live. I
on the last Saturday another artist, Tatyana Fazlalizadeh, did the strive to create subject matter that deeply investigates the human
same. These meetings are always fascinating and helpful to both the experience while remaining straightforward so that anyone can re-
visitors and myself, and the part I am most excited about is that on late to it.

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