Introducing: The PHLA x Laos In The House StoryBooth

The Laos In The House Storybooth will be available this Saturday at #BLESSED. 

We're excited to announce something we've been working on with Philadelphia Assembled (PHLA), a project realized in collaboration with the Philadelphia Museum of Art! Laos In The House has been asked to curate an experience around the idea of Sanctuary, along with some other notable individuals and organizations who will similarly create installations and amplify work that speaks to subjects like Futures, Reconstructions, Sovereignty and Movement. Through a series of actions, conversations, meals, installations, and other events across Philadelphia, this expansive community project tells stories through the personal and collective narratives that make up the city's ever-changing urban fabric. These various happenings will then culminate in a communal presentation at the Museum in Fall 2017.

Connecting these curated visions of Sanctuary together will be a PHLA traveling dome, created by Traction Company, that will live with various community partners between mid-April to mid-June. For Laos In The House, this mobile sanctuary dome will function as a “StoryBooth” which will allow guests to share their stories through audio or video recordings, depending on their comfort level. Prompt questions will be provided in Lao and English for any potential storytellers that need help on what topics to share.

The mobile dome itself is made of wood and colored plexi glass and fits about 5-6 people comfortably. For the Laos In The House StoryBooth, we decided the interiors would draw inspiration from a wat, the Lao Buddhist temple, a place that has provided sanctuary for many Lao American refugees after having been resettled so far way from their homeland, with imagery of symbols seen during Lao celebrations adorning the panels. In addition guests will be asked to take off their shoes before going inside and sit on a saht, Lao rug, furthering a cultural tradition while they tell their stories.

Guests at this Saturday's #BLESSED event will get to see and engage with the Laos In The House StoryBooth for the very first time. Stay tuned on where we'll bring it next!