In conjunction with A World in the Making: The Shakers, join us for a screening of the 2023 film Those Who Wait.
Those Who Wait is a poetic retelling of the Millerite doomsday movement that swept across America in the 1840s.
The film follows the town of Portland, Maine as its residents navigate waves of apocalyptic prophecy and disappointment. Mixing the genres of historic re-enactment with fantastic parable, this queer gaze into the colonial past explores the powers and perils of “believing it’s over.”
Following the screening we will have a short Q&A with the filmmakers, Chani Bockwinkel and Ty Burdenski.
Registration
Register here to attend this event.
About the exhibition
A World in the Making: The Shakers explores the design legacy of the Shakers, a religious group whose values of community, labor, and equality shaped their furniture, architecture, and everyday objects. Through works by contemporary artists influenced by the Shakers, alongside original Shaker-made pieces, the exhibition considers how their design principles remain relevant today.
Founded in 18th-century England and later established in the U.S. across more than twenty distinct communities, from Kentucky to Maine, Shaker communities developed a distinctive visual language—marked by simplicity, innovation, and purpose. While often celebrated for their aesthetic, Shaker designs were rooted in spiritual practice and collective life.
By pairing historical artifacts with newly commissioned works, the exhibition invites reflection on how Shaker ideals continue to inform conversations around inclusion, gender, and intentional living in the 21st century.
This exhibition was organized by the Vitra Design Museum, the Milwaukee Art Museum, the Institute of Contemporary Art Philadelphia, and the Wüstenrot Foundation in collaboration with Shaker Museum.
Accessibility
ICA is committed to creating a welcoming environment for all visitors. For more notes on accessibility including accessible parking nearby visit our Accessibility landing page. If you require any accessibility accommodations or have any questions about the program, please contact us at hello@ica.upenn.edu.
Support
Programming at ICA is made possible in part by the Emily and Jerry Spiegel Fund to Support Contemporary Culture and Visual Arts and the Lise Spiegel Wilks and Jeffrey Wilks Family Foundation. Public and Student Engagement at ICA is supported by the Bernstein Public Engagement Fund, Suzanne Weiss Doft & Jacob W. Doft, Stacey & Robert Goergen Jr., Hilarie L. & Mitchell Morgan, the Nash Family Foundation, Joline & David Stemerman, and by Dana McDonald Strong & Mark W. Strong.
