Michael Premo: Sandy Stories and Housing is a Human Right
An interview with Creative Time Report's Michael Premo about his activist work, from Occupy Wall Street to Creative Time feature Sandy Storyline and Housing is a Human Right.
Premo started out working for StoryCorps, an NPR affiliate dedicated to recording the oral histories of United States' residents of all backgrounds. While traveling around the country with StoryCorps, he noticed that the people he interviewed reiterated the basic desire to have a home. This universal aspiration, and Premo's involvement in Occupy Wall Street, led him to the Housing is a Human Right and Sandy Storyline projects. Housing is a Human Right provides a voice to individuals who are in a tenuous state of losing their homes by documenting and sharing their stories via multiple media platforms. Sandy Storyline similarly uses audio, video, photography and text stories to engage locals to share their stories about the impact of Hurricane Sandy on their homes and neighborhood communities. The in-depth web documentary and interactive exhibitions online work to draw participation in and attention to the socio-economic and environmental issues that Sandy's destruction brought to light. To explore stories or share your own, go to sandystoryline.com.
RELATED PROGRAMS
Creative Time Radio
RADIO SERIES
Creative Time is a New York-based non-profit organization dedicated to commissioning, presenting and preserving the most challenging, pioneering and exceptional art of the contemporary period. Its prerogative is advancing and fostering the artist, creating a space where ideas are valued over economics and artistic and intellectual engagement with the public are encouraged over exclusivity. The goal is a democratic one: for the use of free space and a creation of dialogue in the public arena.
Creative Time was founded in 1974 and has, since its foundation, encouraged artistic and public discourse with the preeminent social, cultural, political and environmental issues and concerns of our contemporary period. It has encouraged artists to address timely issues such as the AIDS pandemic, domestic violence and racial inequality, including among its alumni community Vito Acconci, Diller + Scofidio, David Byrne, Felix Gonzalez-Torres, Red Grooms, Jenny Holzer, Takashi Murakami, Shirin Neshat, Sonic Youth, Elizabeth Streb and a near-infinitude more.
In engaging with public spaces and ideas, Creative Time fosters and contributes to the eclectic and vibrant spirit of the city in which it was born.
