Friday Night Conversation recap

In a deviation from some of their more in-depth Friday Night Conversations, the Grand Rapids Art Museum opted for a more informal structure for last Friday’s event. Titled simply “Film” the discussion was to take place at one small table situated on the GRAM’s terrace.The table had a small white box that housed the discussion questions. Though the questions were interesting (asking people to engage with the challenges around filmmaking in particular), the box and its contents were not quite enough to prompt an actual discussion on film as a media and art form.

There was very little traffic around the table and as a result not much engagement. Overall the other format the Friday Night Conversations can take has proven to be more successful. A guest speaker leads the discussion and actively engages the participants about the topic and related questions.

This coming Friday’s conversation should be more in this style. Local photographer Terry Johnston will be leading an urban photo walk around downtown Grand Rapids to supplement the GRAM’s current Cities in Transition exhibit. The photo walk Johnston led to accompany the GRAM's Rauschenberg exhibit back in May was both fun (encouraging participants to expand their creativity) and informative. It’s likely more of that spirit will be seen this Friday night.