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WGXC Afternoon Show: Ruth Adams, Gavin Berger (Audio)

Oct 08, 2021

In the latest Hudson Valley Word of Mouth segment, Julia Joern visits Ghent in Columbia County to meet with Ruth Adams and Gavin Berger, the co-executive directors of Art Omi. Originally founded over thirty years ago as an artist-in-residency program, today Art Omi spans over 120 acres of sprawling fields, vast pastures, and winding wooded paths. Its Sculpture and Architecture Park currently features 60 large-scale works installed throughout the landscape where visitors get to experience art in nature, whether it's on their own or in a guided group tour, through workshops and educational initiatives, and even by cross-country skiing. Welcoming guests upon arrival is the Beneson Center. Designed by FT Architecture, this environmentally progressive LEED certified building is Art Omi's venue for indoor events and also houses staff offices, a cafe, and a 1500-square foot exhibition space. Now on view in its gallery is 'To Feel Myself Beloved on the Earth,' a solo show of quilts, garments, drums, prints, and video by Choctaw-Cherokee artist and MacArthur Fellow, Jeffrey Gibson. Since its start, Art Omi has hosted over 2,000 artists, architects, dancers, musicians, writers, and translators from over 100 countries. These residency programs continue to culminate in recitals, performances, talks, readings, and symposiums offered to the general public.

The show features local news, interviews with community leaders and personalities, a rundown of local and regional events, weather updates, and more about and for the community. The show is a place for a community conversation about issues, with music, and more. Saturday the emphasis is more on radio art, and art on the radio. Unlike shows by individual programmers on the station, the "WGXC Afternoon Show" is considered partially station-run. The Wednesday show calls itself the "Drive-Time Show" and Sunday's is "Li Le, Le Tan."