LET THE SUNSHINE IN

On Saturday, June 20, visit AWAKENING III: SOLSTICE, a free community gathering at the Dixie Furniture warehouse (223 Huger) in the Upper Peninsula featuring radiant artwork - murals, installations, graffiti, dance, sculpture, and performance throughout the lot.

The cornerstone of the installation is a new mural by Sergio Odeith, a well-known Portuguese painter and muralist based in Lisbon whose trademark 3D graffiti served as the initial piece for this installation. Odeith installed his work during Piccolo Spoleto, and for the past week, local artists have created their own artwork for the midsummer celebration culminating on Saturday, June 20^th from 4-8pm.

“Solstice is the longest and brightest day of the year,” says Cathryn Zommer, Executive Director of Enough Pie. “Awakening III: Solstice is inspired by letting sunshine into an unseen place for a vibrant awakening. Together with our community, we experience the thrill of 24 artists working at a communal space for transformation and unification. We have been thrilled to host Odeith and a number of other Southern and local artists to envision and create a radiant community experience.”

In addition to the creative installations, there will be a Pop-Up Upper Peninsula Visitor’s Center, simple snacks, areas for community gathering, and an informal gathering next door at Taco Boy for drinks and food along with a DJ until 10pm. The non-performance based artwork will remain in situ for several months.

UPDATE/JUNE 19:

With tender hearts, we come together tomorrow for Awakening III: Solstice. In both tone and tenor, this event will be different than we originally intended because as individuals, and as a community, we have changed. We are marked by a tragedy so great, by a loss so enormous, that we will never be the same.

The mission of Enough Pie is to be a catalyst for inclusive and inspiring community engagement through creativity. There is sacredness in artistic expression – it illuminates our shared humanity, strengthens our spirit, and inspires our hopes and dreams. Much like life, art can be uplifting and it can be heartbreaking. Joy and sorrow are two sides of the same coin. With the great sadness of the last few of days, there have been transformative moments of unity — of voices united in song, righteous prayer and hope.

We have looked deep into our hearts, cried furious tears, and listened to the words of our friend Rev. Pinckney speaking about Walter Scott from the Senate floor on May 9, 2015: “We have a great opportunity to allow sunshine into this process.”

Tomorrow we gather with our community on the weekend of Solstice, the longest and brightest day of the year, to help illuminate and awaken ourselves and our community to what lies ahead. Creative expression is a powerful outlet for our grief. While mourning Charleston’s great loss, we also honor and celebrate the creative and unstoppable human spirit that keeps us united together. For together, as an engaged and passionate community, we are stronger than any act of terror.

Please join us on Saturday, June 20 (4-8pm) for Awakening III: Solstice. Light a candle for peace and prayer at the transformed walls of the Dixie Furniture warehouse, bringing our grief and hope into a public place where our community can help support and uplift us through this process. There is great possibility and hope woven throughout our community when we come together. At vigils and gatherings throughout the country, we experience grief that can ignite us to action. Prayer is a verb, a call to walk the talk and engage in an active process to create something positive for our common good.

At 7pm during Awakening III: Solstice, we will have a moment of silence and hear words from friends in the community. Your presence and your voice are welcome at this gathering, for we all need an opportunity to speak our peace.

With love and hope, we move forward. We unite, become stronger, and find meaningful ways to transform our grief into action. At Enough Pie, we hope to help hold this space, for ourselves and the community we love so deeply, and let the sunshine in.