Whaling Museum » AHA!

Origami Night features demo & film, Dec. 8

Arthur Motta — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 20:29:27 +0000

Origami Night at the Museum will feature hands-on demonstrations of the Japanese art of paper folding on AHA night, Thursday, December 8, from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the New Bedford Whaling Museum. At 6:30 p.m. the film, Between the Folds, will be shown in the Cook Memorial Theater, followed by a Q&A session with members of the FOLD Project – six MFA graduate students from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA).

Demonstrations will show how to make origami whales and reveal how other elaborate and elegant creations emerge from a simple sheet of paper. No prior skills are required to learn this art. Admission is free to demonstration and film.

Recognized by several international film festivals, Between the Folds, was written produced and directed by Vanessa Gould. Presented by Green Fuse Films, “Between the Folds” chronicles the stories of 10 fine artists and intrepid scientists – all forging unconventional lives as modern paper-folders. The film paints an arresting portrait of the remarkable artistic and scientific creativity that fuels this ever-changing art form, fusing science and sculpture, form and function, ancient and new.

Capoeira at the Whaling Museum

rochabob — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 17:21:03 +0000

This community’s connection to the Portuguese speaking world is centuries old. This is no secret. We have two galleries dedicated to this link, with another to come. That connection, with Brasil, was in full display on AHA! night, Thursday, September 8, in our Jacobs Family Gallery. Enjoy this YouTube video of the agile members of Capoeira Brasil Boston entertaining the crowd with their mix of martial arts, dance, acrobatics and music.

Author Peter Stevens to speak on his book, “The Voyage of the Catalpa”

michaellapides — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 11:23:41 +0000

Please join us on Thursday 1/14, 8:00-9:00 PM, in our theater, for a talk by author Peter Stevens related to his book The Voyage of the Catalpa: A Perilous Journey and Six Irish Rebels’ Escape to Freedom. This program is part of AHA!

From publisher Basic Books:

Fast-paced, compelling, meticulously researched, and dramatically detailed, this saga from the annals of American, Irish, British, and Australian history comprises the first full telling of the secret yearlong journey of the American whaling ship Catalpa, under Captain George Anthony, out of New Bedford, Massachusetts, in 1875. Risking his own freedom and career, Anthony sailed across international waters to Australia, to rescue from hellish imprisonment the group of British-soldiers-turned-Irish-rebels named “The Fremantle Six.” The successful escape and hostility the vulnerable Catalpa overcame both from the British Royal Navy and furious seas make Anthony’s historical voyage legendary. 8 pages of photographs add to this true story of daring on the high seas.

Working Waterfront Festival Publishes Book

michaellapides — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 10:09:34 +0000

Our friends at the Working Waterfront Festival have announced publication of Voices from the Waterfront: Portrait of the New Bedford Fishing Industry.

A reception to celebrate the release of the book will take place at the New Bedford Whaling Museum on Thursday, January 14th at 6:30 PM in conjunction with New Bedford’s monthly celebration of art, history, and architecture – AHA . The reception is free and open to the public. Photographer Mark Starr and Co-editors Kirsten Bendiksen and Laura Orleans will be on hand to talk about creating the book which will be available for purchase.

This 80-page book is based on interviews conducted over a five year period with 43 individuals from the New Bedford/Fairhaven fishing community. Their voices provide a rare first hand accounting of life and work in the port.

Those interviewed include retired and active fishermen, lumpers, auctioneers, shoreside business owners, fisheries scientists, a tug boat captain, fishing family members and others. Oral history excerpts are accompanied by black and white portraits taken by photographer Markham Starr.