This wasp was spotted buzzing around medical labs on George Street. Our “Gone Dishin’” correspondent discovered an insect of steel — and a buzz about the coming together of art and science.
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Think 300 George and visions of bunsen burners and microscopes come to mind. Think again and Haskins Laboratories, a private, non-profit research institute with a primary focus on speech, language and reading, and their biological basis, may come into view.
Located on the ninth floor, this world-famous initiative is housed in incredible space in the refurbished SNET space. In dedication to improving skills and communities, affable C.E.O. Philip Rubin has turned the interesting hallways into a public art gallery, replete with the opening receptions for the artists and their friends and patrons.
Tuesday evening’s opening of an exhibit titled “ARRAY” was an opening of which the hosts could be proud. Academicians divided their time between research and welcomes. Local artists Jari Chevalier (in photo), Matthew Garrett, Deborah Hesse, Fehti Meghelli, Felipe Molina, Suzan Shutan, Rashmi Talpade and Gar Waterman (whose Wasp sculpture is shown at the top of this story) were on hand to greet the devotees and fellow artists. David Millen, sculptor and periodontist extraordinaire, was there to admire the work of his colleagues and, indeed, some of his own dental expertise as he greeted several of his patients. Just in case there were a need to judge, the Honorable Joette Katz (Connecticut Supreme Court) was perched on a bench.
Many members of the Arts Council board of directors and its professional staff turned out to support the event and applaud the work on display. Among the guests, we spotted Betty Monz (executive director of the Arts Council), Barbara Feldman (choreographer turned AC Director of Development), Cheever Tyler (former attorney turned filmmaker, author and consultant to non profits), Barbara Lamb (the city’s director of Cultural Affairs), Mike Morand (Yale Office of New Haven and Government Affairs), Tony Rescigno (CEO of the Chamber, in photo), Linda Masci (former CEO of Anthem and newly announced director of development at UNH), Lindy Gold (state Department of Economic and Community Development), John Kessler (Sr. V.P. at Hospital of St Raphael) and Peter Sachner (attorney at Tyler Cooper).
The work of the Arts Council and its collaborators has extended the boundaries beyond the Hallowed halls of traditional spaces to places where people will find it convenient to appreciate why and how New Haven is the cultural capital of the state. For the Greater Good — ¬¶ — ¬¶Ya gotta have ART!