PRESS

From Jared Bowen’s report for GBH Boston:

The Peabody Essex Museum revisits Salem’s infamous history in a new exhibit. It aims to give people a sense of what real life was like in the 17th century, with rare documents and historic objects like furniture and walking sticks. “The Salem witch trials arose out of this time when there was political uncertainty,” Bowen says. “There was extreme weather, lots of climate change. There was not a lot of faith in the community. There was a lot of speculation and cynicism. … I think some of these themes are very, very prevalent in 2021.”

The exhibit features two contemporary artists who lend their modern perspective, including Frances F. Denny, who photographs women who identify as witches, and the British fashion designer Alexander McQueen, whose mother was an amateur genealogist and discovered that their ancestor Elizabeth Howe was tried, accused and executed in Salem.

Listen to the full story at GBH

Browse the series “Major Arcana: Witches in America” at ClampArt
Browse all of Frances F. Denny’s work at ClampArt