Poly’s first artist residency began  in early May 2019 with alumna Jill Sigman ’85, a contemporary artist, choreographer, and dancer. Over the first few weeks, Sigman constructed The Living Room on the Oval using found objects like discarded wooden pallets, art easels, athletic jerseys, book covers, and tomato cans, and incorporating edible weeds into the design to encourage the community to think about what we consider “waste.” The focus of her installation dovetailed with Visual Arts Department Chair Laura Coppola’s ’95 Art and Social Change class, which met in The Living Room. Students Billie Koffman ‘19, Katie Futterman ‘19, and Celia Penny ’20 planned the programming for the space, which came to life as the site for Spanish, French, and Creative Writing classes, a forum on immigration, a free bookstore, and a closing performance.

“Jill is a social practice artist,” Coppola explained, “and what that basically means is that she incorporates social issues and social engagement into her work. Having classes, discussions, performances, and debates are social actions that are an integral part of The Living Room.”