Vipassana in Bloom
As part of the immersive exhibition Shabazz Larkin: Flowers and Deamons, The Forge is proud to host a special evening of reflection, storytelling, and collective introspection: Vipassana in Bloom, a meditative journaling event and artist talk led by Shabazz Larkin.
Taking place in the heart of Vipassana Suspended—Larkin’s monumental installation composed of 1,200 handwritten notes, meditations, and drawings created during his 30-day silent retreat—this gathering invites guests into a rare, quiet dialogue with the artist. Surrounded by the suspended fragments of his inner world, attendees will hear firsthand about Larkin’s journey through stillness, fear, beauty, and impermanence.
Guests will be seated on either side of the central installation for a thoughtful conversation with Shabazz Larkin, who will share the personal experiences and reflections that shaped Vipassana Suspended. Drawing from his 30-day silent meditation retreat, Shabazz will speak candidly about the fears, realizations, and questions that surfaced during that time—and how they found their way into the work.
This artist talk will also include space for guided journaling. Guests will be offered prompts to help explore their own thoughts around change, stillness, and impermanence. The atmosphere will be quiet and unhurried, allowing everyone to move at their own pace. This is a chance to listen, to reflect, and to be present—with the work, with the artist, and with whatever comes up in the process.
Complementing the experience are live floral installations by Alex Vaughan of FLWR Shop, now in various stages of decay—embodying the exhibition’s meditation on time, transformation, and what remains when beauty fades. As petals fall, guests are invited to consider their own cycles of becoming and letting go.
This intimate event offers a contemplative space to slow down, reconnect with self, and find community through presence and page.
RSVP HERE: https://www.theforgenashville.org/workshops/p/shabazz-larkin-vipassana-in-bloom