The Dialogue Lab is an ongoing collaborative project that utilizes public programs, conversations, workshops, public projects and exhibitions. The D-LAB aims to place artists, collaborators, and attendees into equal roles that complete an evolving socially-engaged endeavors. 

The Dialogue Lab: Impossible Madison

February 2014

Madison, Indiana

If you could re-imagine the city you live in, what would it look, feel and be like?

The Dialogue Lab: Impossible Madison was a collaboration with the students of the Madison Art Academy, the Hanover College Greiner Art Gallery, the Madison Area Arts Alliance, and the West Street Art Center. Impossible Madison created a responsive exhibition investigating the reimagining of the city of Madison, Indiana. Through various design challenges, public engagement tactics, and interactive installations, Impossible Madison aimed to cultivate a space to make the improbable, probable.

This exhibition featured projects made by high school students from the Madison Art Academy during a four day design workshop with the visiting artist.

This event was made possible, in part, with support from the Indiana Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.

Special thanks to Leticia Bajuyo, Peter Ellis, Emeran Irby, Nancy Epling, Kala Farineau, Cheyenne Meiring, Paul Kelsey, Beverly Gaffney, Melanie Torline, Hong Kong Kitchen, and the 200 + students of Madison Art Academy.

Images of courtesy of Bernie Kasper of Madison, IN.

The D-Train: A Dialogue Lab

July 2014

Kansas City, Missouri

The D-Train: A Dialogue Lab, is a game of dominoes that doubles as an opportunity for face-to-face discussion about social change.

The D-Train is based on the traditional Trains game, in which players’ dominoes emanate from a central hub like trains from a station. This a special set of dominoes; in place of numbers, they contain key words related to such topics as Development, revitalization, displacement and community. Game rules are simple: play any word next to any other and explain to your partner how they inform and relate to one another. Play a piece horizontally if you can work both ideas into the conversation. The dialogue will continue until all dominoes are played. Antagonism results in disqualification; problem-solving earns extra points.