Artist Fellow
Northwest Arkansas
The Ozark Story Project was created as an extension of “Looking For America”, an initiative exploring immigration and American identity in dynamic communities across the United States through public art, storytelling, and dialogue. From December 2019 thru March 2020 Arkansas-based artist Amber Perrodin, in partnership with DC-based social sculptor Philippa Hughes of CuriosityConnects.us, curated an art exhibit entitled “Looking For America: Northwest Arkansas.” Thirteen Northwest Arkansas artists were invited to answer the question “What does it mean to be American in your community?”The exhibition travelled to Rogers, Springdale, Fayetteville, and Bentonville. With each of the 13 artists offering a different perspective, voice and medium, the results were stunning. Visitors to each exhibition were invited to have their photo taken, record their voices, contribute to a poem written by Noelia Cerna, and meet the artists.The “Ozark Story Project” is continuing the conversation by working to archive recorded stories, poetry, recipes, and photographs contributed by people that have a relationship to the Ozarks. This project is curious about the intersection of immigrant and traditional Ozark folklore and how the two intersect in today’s world to create modern day folklore.