Twenty Summers

On August 18th, 1949, Forum 49 hosted a panel discussion called ‘Directions in 20th Century Architecture’ featuring architect Marcel Breuer, the artist and filmmaker György Kepes, and architect and journalist, Peter Blake, who was then curator for Architecture and Design at the Museum of Modern Art.

All three speakers were engaged in the then-raging debate about whether modern houses should use the materials and methods of vernacular, regional architecture, or employ universal, standardized, machine-made components.

Breuer had just finished building his own experimental house in Wellfleet and one for the Kepes family not far away. Both houses were modest-sized, environmentally sensitive, outposts for art-making and creative congregation.

By coincidence this 75th anniversary of Forum 49 is also the year the Cape Cod Modern House Trust is seeking to purchase, restore and re-open Breuer’s house as a platform for scholarship and new creative work.

By looking back at the Forum 49 discussions, this talk will explore the relevance of Breuer’s work today, as well as the process of preserving his summer house and the archiving of its contents.

The ecological crisis is only a symptom of a deeper spiritual disconnect, one that must be mended to heal the whole. What can we learn from nature about the processes of decay and renewal? What must be decomposed in order for our species to mend its relationship with the Earth? In this keynote conversation bridging the spiritual and ecological, we will hear from Atmos editor-in-chief Willow Defebaugh and philosopher, writer, and founder of The Emergence Network Bayo Akomolafe, as they invite us into a deeper understanding about the transmutations and murmurations our world is faced with today.

Cody Plays is an experiment in creating a play in a matter of a few days with a rotating group of special guests and collaborators created by writer/performer Cody Sullivan. Where is the show taking place this week? What is happening in the world that day? Who can we beg to take a role? The answers to these questions are the frantic, immediate, ephemeral ingredients that Cody uses to facilitate the group creation of each Cody Plays. Cody started the show in Provincetown at The Gifford House, in June 2023. He continues to play in Provincetown and Boston.

“The results are outrageous and boisterous and harken back to Provincetown’s devil-may-care days.” – Chris Muller, The Boston Globe.

As part of our 20S x Atmos weekend Pinar Sinopoulos-Lloyd, Sabrina Imbler, Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian, and Willow Defebaugh come together to discuss "Queering Nature".

The queer experience is rooted in expression and acceptance—a celebration of all the unique and individual natures that make up the whole of nature, a rich tapestry woven by biodiversity. In this panel discussion, expert voices from the field of queer ecology will explore wonders from around the planet that challenge our human notions of gender and sexuality, who gets to determine the narrative frameworks of biology, and the expansive nature of identity.

Mike Sullivan and friends in a concert featuring masked performances of Stephen Sondheim repertoire with other choral and musical theater works.

With performers wearing masks and custom clothing designs, Faces of Celebration meets at the intersection of music, fashion, and art, and explores the variety of ways in which we engage with storytelling and creative expression. The concert is performed in two acts, consisting of local and visiting singers and instrumentalists.

Enjoy a session from our Twenty Summers x Atmos weekend of conversations at the Hawthorne Barn.

To rewrite our future, we must right the wrongs of the past and present—including the harm that colonization has authored upon the Earth’s original caretakers and listen to their words of wisdom. In this talk, Indigenous advocates, leaders, and visionaries will invite the audience into a discussion about Native sovereignty, stewardship, reparations, and the landback movement.

Experience an evening in the Barn with Bermuda Search Party!

Since their inception in early 2018, Bermuda Search Party (formerly known as The Q-Tip Bandits) have emerged into the Boston music scene as an energetic and vibrant act that continues to touch audience’s hearts while getting them up on their feet. Their smooth yet powerful sound is backed by the raw energy of rock and the coolness and colors of R&B and funk — with palpable grooves coated with savory, soul-inspired riffs, anthemic horns and meaningful lyrics.

Part 3 of 3 of our Ecosystems & Imagination Series, an artist’s interactive approach to future/present visions of the sea coast in the face of sea level rise, and the vulnerability of public space.

What are the ecosystems near the water, both human and nature based/ What is public space at the coast for? How will we live here in the future? What will allow this way of life to continue equitably? Markets and festivals, promenades, concerts, waterfront recreation.

Presented by Mark Adams, Traven Pelletier, and Center for Coastal Studies.

Part 2 of 3 of our Ecosystems & Imagination Series, an artist’s interactive approach to future/present visions of the sea coast in the face of sea level rise, and the vulnerability of public space.

What are the ecosystems near the water, both human and nature based/ What is public space at the coast for? How will we live here in the future? What will allow this way of life to continue equitably? Markets and festivals, promenades, concerts, waterfront recreation.

Presented by Mark Adams, Traven Pelletier, and Center for Coastal Studies.

Part 1 of 3 of our Ecosystems & Imagination Series, an artist’s interactive approach to future/present visions of the sea coast in the face of sea level rise, and the vulnerability of public space.

What are the ecosystems near the water, both human and nature based/ What is public space at the coast for? How will we live here in the future? What will allow this way of life to continue equitably? Markets and festivals, promenades, concerts, waterfront recreation.

Presented by Mark Adams, Traven Pelletier, and Center for Coastal Studies.