A Narrative Dimension
Write a collaborative story

a. Connect this activity to your literature studies and curriculum. With your students, discuss the experience of seeing Samara Golden’s work. Watch a video about her work.

b. Think about Golden’s installation as the setting for a story, play, or movie. Ask students what story they imagine unfolding in this environment. 

c. With your students, generate a list of storytelling genres, for example: mystery, romance, horror, science fiction, etc. Ask students to divide into small groups. Ask each student group to choose a genre and write a collaborative story. The story should include some third person narrative and some dialogue. Be sure to develop the characters in the story. Each story should have a conflict and a resolution. Include at least three concrete objects or details that students remember about the installation. Present and discuss students’ stories. Are there similarities and differences?


Overhead view of miniature wheelchairs and toilet stalls
Overhead view of miniature wheelchairs and toilet stalls

The Meat Grinder’s Iron Clothes, 2017 by Samara Golden. (Installation, 5th floor West Gallery). Insulation foamboard, extruded polystryrene, epoxy resin, carpet, vinyl, fabric, acrylic paint, spray paint, nail polish, plastic, altered found objects and mirror. 14 x 33 1/2 feet. 2017 Whitney Biennial ( March 17–June 11, 2017). Whitney Museum of American Art, N.Y. Photograph Bill Orcutt

On the Hour

A 30-second online art project:
Maya Man, A Realistic Day In My Life Living In New York City

Learn more about this project

Learn more at whitney.org/artport

On the Hour projects can contain motion and sound. To respect your accessibility settings autoplay is disabled.