SHAKER OVERVIEW

Molteni has worked closely with the archives of many Shaker villages, since their first visit to the living Shakers at Sabbathday Lake in 2007. Focused sites include Canterbury (NH), Hancock (MA), Harvard and Shirley Shaker Villages, and South Union (KY) archives, as well as the grounds of Sabbathday Lake (Maine), Mount Lebanon (NY), and Watervliet (NY) and Enfield (NH). With a concentration on the Era of Manifestations, particularly Gift Drawings and Mountain Meetings, Molteni’s interest in the Shakers includes their socio-spiritual philosophies, ordered + free-form dance styles, spirit communication, and celestial observations. Molteni observes Shaker culture through queer and matriarchal lenses. Their most notable Shaker-centric projects include: Shaker Work-Out video series, Great Awakenings/ Radical Road Trip pilgrimage hosted with Now Age Travel, and the film Sacred Sheets, created in collaboration with Allison Halter and Gabe Elder.

In addition to short essays in Unseen Hours: Space Clearing for Spirit Work and Holding a Mirror to Heaven collaboratively written with Laura Campagna for Boston Art Reviews "Make Believe” issue, Molteni has offered Shaker-related lectures and programs through the American Folk Art Museum (NY), Viktor Wynd Museum/Last Tuesday Society (London), Shannon Taggart's Lily Dale Symposium (NY), Fruitlands Museum (MA), Nashville Film Festival (TN) to name a few. Until its recent sunset Molteni served on the board of the Golden Dome School for mystic artists. This summer Molteni’s installation “All Around the Room” will open at Hancock Shaker Village.

Below I’ve corralled a mostly complete list of Shaker projects, programs, films and writing so it’s easy to dive deeper into this research and work. Follow me on Patreon for first drops, sneak peeks, and special access to related content.