On Thursday, June 28, from 4-7 PM, the Summit Free Public Library, in partnership with the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, will present Handwriting the Constitution, a social art project created by Morgan O'Hara.
On Inauguration Day in January 2017, Morgan O'Hara sat in the Rose Main Reading Room at the New York Public Library and began to copy the United States Constitution by hand. Soon, others joined her, and by the end of her session, seven additional people had participated. She has held sessions every month since, with new people contributing each time. "Hand copying a document can produce an intimate connection to the text and its meaning," said O'Hara. "The hand writer may discover things about this document that they never knew, a passage that challenges or moves them. They may even leave with a deeper connection to the founders and the country, or even a sense of encouragement. It is important for us to become more intensely aware of our rights as citizens so that, should history begin to impinge upon these rights, we will recognize what is happening in time to act."
For more information, visit the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey at artcenternj.org and the Summit Free Public Library at summitlibrary.org. To set up a handwriting session, visit handwritingtheconstitution.com or email to handwritingtheconstitution@gmail.com. The Summit Free Public Library is located at 75 Maple Street, Summit, NJ, 07901. All are invited to participate!
About the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey
For 85 years, the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey has been exclusively dedicated to viewing, making, and learning about contemporary art. Recognized as a leading non-profit arts organization, the Art Center's renowned studio school, acclaimed exhibitions, and educational outreach initiatives serve thousands of youth, families, seniors, and people with special needs every year.
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