Known among other things for her multiyear “endurance art” pieces, for her Sacred Sex workshops with Annie Sprinkle and Barbara Carrellas, for founding the Art/Life Institute in Kingston, for having spent two years as a nun and for fascination with the subjects of chickens and death, internationally renowned performance artist Linda Mary Montano regularly returns to her birthplace, Saugerties, for an audience-participation event. At the 2018 Shout Out Saugerties festival, she performed The Psalms R Us in the Reformed Church; last fall, she led a Laugh-Cryathon at the Saugerties Library.
Montano will be back on Saturday, January 25, with another Interactive Laugh-Cry event, titled Art/Life/Death and described as a 78th-BirthdayArama. Dedicated to nursing home Certified Nursing Assistants and curated by Jennifer Hicks, it will be hosted by the 11 Jane Street Art Center/Gallery. On the program, besides some guided/spontaneous group creativity, are two film premieres: one about cremations in Benares, India, and the other about Saugerties’ Father Harty Drum Corps; an invocation of Angel Blessings by “guest preacher” Reverend Lynda Carré; Desmond Conrad-Ferm leading the Chicken Dance; and a question-and-answer session. The birthday-party part involves an invitation for anyone so moved to bring along “a very very very Creative Art Cake for our viewing pleasure and mutual celebration.”
Admission is by a $10 suggested donation. To purchase tickets, visit https://bit.ly/2tvN2mC.
Linda Mary Montano’s Interactive Laugh-Cry Art/Life/Death 78th BirthdayArama, Saturday, Jan. 25, 7-8:30 p.m., $10 donation, 11 Jane Street Art Center, 11 Jane St., Saugerties, www.11janestreet.com
Join the family! 
