Salem To Host 'A City of Care + Wonder' Immersive Public Art Exhibition

SALEM, MA — Salem's 2023 Artist in Residence Claudia Paraschiv will bring her immersive art exhibit "A City of Care + Wonder" to life at Old Town Hall this month as part of a public art experience.

The event will run from Jan. 17 through Jan. 28 at 32 Derby Street and is described as "a kaleidoscopic love letter to the City of Salem" that Paraschiv developed during her yearlong term as Artist in Residence."

Paraschiv used a large-scale, mobile tree sculpture called the "Tree of Care + Wonder" to explore city-making from a personal, emotional perspective with many of the items in the display created during community workshops.

The exhibit includes photographers, a collage and policy recommendations for city design.

"The Tree of Care + Wonder grew out of a series of sketches from 2018-2020 about my vision of the future in which I drew a tree in the middle of the street, with people eating, talking, and playing all around it," Paraschiv said. "Might something delightful, full of life and friendship, grow in an unexpected place?

"As I developed the theme to apply for the 2023 Salem Public Artist in Residence program, the metaphor expanded to consider the question of how cities might be built in surprising by wonderful ways."

Paraschiv secured grants from the Salem Cultural Council, the Essex Creative County Foundation, and a vital partnership with the Peabody Essex Museum to fund engagement with over 25 local artists, musicians, photographers, dancers, and even a puppeteer to collaborate with her on civic-art events.

Some other key partnerships included Gloucester educator and activist Toni Armstrong, Salem State University Professor Michael Jaros, History Alive, and local activist Michael Corely.

Paraschiv is an architect and public artist, with a passion for composting and Accessory Dwelling Units. She has lived in Salem since 2010 and founded her design practice, Studioful Design in 2016, as a woman-owned, social enterprise engaged in architecture, community art, and neighborhood design.

She will present her policy findings to Salem's City Council, and will continue her research into how expansive, novel uses of public spaces directly improve people's daily lives as a 2024 MASSCreative Advocacy and Organizing Fellow.

The exhibition is free, accessible, and open to the public Wednesdays-Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Artist "Meet & Greet" hours are Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 12-2 p.m.

Salem officials will announce the awardee for the 2024 Public Artist in Residence program in the spring.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)