MCLA Launches 'Politics of the Visual' Lecture Series

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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) announced the launch of its 2024-25 lecture series, Politics of the Visual, organized by MCLA Associate Professor of English & Visual Culture Victoria Papa, and supported by Hardman Special Initiatives and MOSAIC. 
 
According to a press release, this series will explore questions about the political dimensions of visuality, the power structures behind perception, and the phenomena of spectacle in contemporary culture. 
 
Kicking off in October 2024 and continuing through April 2025, the series will feature leading scholars, artists, and curators, who will dive into the intersections of art, politics, and society. All events are free, open to the public, and will be
held at the MOSAIC Events Space, located at 49 Main St. in North Adams. 
 
Fall 2024 Events 
 
Technologies of Magic: Contemporary Artists and Rituals, Talismans, and Folklore
Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024, 6:30 PM 
Alexandra Foradas (MASS MoCA) 
 
Alexandra Foradas, an art historian and curator at MASS MoCA, will explore how contemporary artists engage with rituals and folklore in their works, reflecting on exhibitions like Like Magic and Deep Water. Foradas also teaches at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). 
 
What Lies at the Intersection of Land Ownership and Documentary Poetics 
Thursday, November 7, 2024, 5:30 PM 
Anaïs Duplan (Bennington College) 
 
Anaïs Duplan, a trans* poet and artist, will present on the connections between land ownership and documentary poetics. Duplan is the author of "Blackspace: On the Poetics of an Afrofuture" and is a professor at Bennington College. 
 
 
Spring 2025 Events 
 
Looking at Rembrandt with Roland Barthes and Derek Walcott 
Wednesday, March 5, 2025, 5:30 PM 
Caroline Fowler (Clark Art Institute) 
 
Caroline Fowler, the Starr Director at the Clark Art Institute, will explore the intersections of Rembrandt's works with the writings of Roland Barthes and Derek Walcott, with a focus on her upcoming book,
Slavery and the Invention of Dutch Art. 
 
For some strange reason it had to be": Radcliffe Bailey's Visual Aesthetic Remixes" 
Thursday, March 27, 2025, 5:30 PM 
Nikki Greene (Wellesley College) 
 
Nikki Greene, Associate Professor at Wellesley College, will discuss the work of Radcliffe Bailey, highlighting the intersection of black identity, the body, and sound in contemporary art. 
 
The Acid Queen: The Counterculture Rebellion and Psychedelic Life of Rosemary Woodruff Leary 
 
April 2025, Date TBA 
Susannah Cahalan (Author & Journalist) 
 
Susannah Cahalan, author of Brain on Fire, will present on the countercultural and psychedelic history of Rosemary Woodruff Leary. 
 
 

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North Adams Housing Authority Director Steps Down

Staff Reports

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Jennifer Hohn, the longtime executive director of the North Adams Housing Authority (NAHA), has stepped down after 24 years with the agency.

The Berkshire Eagle reported that Hohn resigned from her position on Thursday. The NAHA Board of Commissioners is currently developing a transition plan.

Her resignation follows rising tension between Hohn and the tenants association. Residents—particularly at the Spring and Ashland Park apartments—have raised specific concerns regarding building security, drug activity, and trespassers.

This summer, Tenants Association President Corey Fortin posted a video on social media demonstrating that door alarms in some of the buildings were not functioning.

Shortly after the video was posted, the tenants association's office was locked. Members alleged Hohn locked the space in retaliation, while Hohn maintained it was a matter of tenant safety. Hohn also stated that NAHA does not officially recognize the association because it has yet to go through official channels for certification—a claim the tenants association disputes.

The dispute culminated in plans for a formal grievance hearing between Hohn and the association. Both sides agreed to hold a meeting on Oct. 3, but the hearing had not yet been scheduled at the time of her resignation.
During her tenure as director, Hohn oversaw significant changes at NAHA, including expansion and the dissolution of Housing Opportunities Incorporated, a program founded over 30 years ago to assist first-time homebuyers. Most recently, she led efforts to transition NAHA properties from traditional public housing models to the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program. She also directed the rebuilding of a Greylock Valley Apartments building after it was severely damaged by a fire.

The NAHA Board of Commissioners meets monthly, typically on Mondays.

 

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