Young People's Chorus of New York City's New Multimedia Art Installation Focuses on Mental Health, Offers Healing and Hope

In New York City where mental health issues among young people are on the rise, a new multimedia art installation from the Young People's Chorus of New York City (YPC) offers healing and hope.

TogetherAgain is a collection of music, poetry, voice, photography, film, sculpture and more, presented in three chapters: The Canon's Project, a film featuring commissions from 15 of today's renowned composers - including Paquito D'Rivera, Aneesa Folds, David Lang and Paola Prestini - and the voices of nearly 600 choristers who recorded themselves during the height of the COVID-19 lockdown; Poetry in Sculpture, seven poems, written by choristers, based on balance, compassion and isolation and presented on pipe sculptures; and This Place Meant, 100 verbal portraits of choristers' stories presented in vessels to create a powerful sound installation.

Offering a 360-degree view of the interior world of young people in our time, the installation debuts on May 15 at 147 West 29th Street in Manhattan's Chelsea District. It is free and open to the public.

TogetherAgain was created to raise awareness of the importance of mental health and wellbeing, especially among young people. Alternately disorienting and grounding, the sensory installation features stunning sonic vessels of wood, metal, glass and acrylic created by MacArthur Fellow and YPC Founder and Artistic Director Francisco J. Núñez that play the voices of children and teens. The three chapters of the installation all come together to create an immersive story.

"TogetherAgain is a spotlight on what's happening emotionally and mentally with today's youth," said Núñez. "As a music educator that engages with children and young adults daily, I hear their conversations and was inspired by them. I created TogetherAgain because it was clear they needed a space to feel seen, heard and understood. Becoming co-creators of this exhibit gave them an opportunity to tell their stories, to heal."

Choristers, ages 12-18 and from all five boroughs of New York City, took part in the creation of TogetherAgain. The exhibit explores themes related to anxiety, depression, social media, the pandemic, isolation, pressure, fear, hope, resilience, community and more.

In addition to the installation, a series of onsite musical performances and talks discussing the healing power of art will soon be announced.

TogetherAgain is sponsored by Travelers, a property and casualty insurance company. Bernstein Real Estate generously donated the gallery space.

For more information about TogetherAgain please visit www.ypc.org