About The Silver Thread
Edie Sedgwick / by Gerard Malanga
Edie Sedgwick, was an artist, model and muse of Andy Warhol who, in her short life, became a nexus point of collaboration, creative expression and modern media. In the book Edie: An American Biography by Jean Stein, Edie’s friend John Anthony Walker writes:
“… there was something expressing itself through Edith which I could respond to, but it was larger than humans could handle at that point. Edie was a star who by mistake got incarnated into a human body, and never could figure it out and wanted to get back up there.”
Edie’s brother, author John Sedgwick, once said that she seemed connected to the earth by a “silver thread”—one that was broken the day she passed.
I believe we’re all tethered to the earth by that same silver tread—that it runs through each of us, tying all of our stories into one great narrative. To me, the silver thread is the equatorial line of our common soul, woven through the humor, the sadness, the joy, the creativity—everything that forms our existence.
Sparrow Hall with Two Blue Wolves Collaborators (including members of Stellastarr*, Elefant & The Hourly Radio) / Photo by Lindsey Bourke
Our stories can be found everywhere—in a book, a song, an image, a new technology, a social movement. From the most poignant to the most absurd, these stories are all part of a larger life experience, and that is what I’m cataloguing here on The Silver Thread.
In my mid-twenties I was a caregiver for my grandmother, who, like Edie, was a star in the form of a human. I was with her as Alzheimer’s Disease unraveled her bond to the thread. Since then, I have dedicated myself to raising awareness for Alzheimer’s, especially among younger generations who have yet to come face to face with this mysterious, thieving disease—one that will soon overtake cancer as the number one killer in America. Finding a cure for Alzheimer’s is the only way for us to protect our silver thread, and I encourage everyone to visit the Alzheimer’s Association’s website to learn more about what you can do, and to get the conversation going between you and your loved ones.
For my part, I’ve begun the conversation between a growing circle of collaborative and creative minds from around the world. The result is Two Blue Wolves, a story told through literature, music, video and art. Alzheimer’s disease plays a central role in the story and a portion of every purchase goes directly to the Alzheimer’s Association to benefit research and caregiver support.
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Thank you for visiting my blog, and I look forward to reading your comments and feedback. Feel free to connect with me via email at sh@sparrowhall.com or follow me on Twitter @sparrowhall. To learn more about my work, please visit www.sparrowhall.com.
- SH
Photo by Megan Faulkner
About Sparrow Hall
Sparrow Hall is an innovator in multi-platform storytelling and the author of Two Blue Wolves. His work has appeared in Pomp & Circumstance Magazine and the 2009 anthology The Good Things About America. Hall has served as a creative consultant for a number of global brands and non-for-profits, including Bono’s Product (RED)™ initiative, helping to eliminate AIDS in Africa, and Orphans of Rwanda, dedicated to furthering education, economic development and social reconciliation. As a singer/songwriter, Hall performs as one half of the electro pop duo, A Crowd Electric (ACE). Together, with creative partner David Crabb, ACE has produced remixes for Madonna and Britney Spears, and has received top mentions in the dance music category. Sparrow Hall is an advocate for Alzheimer’s Disease awareness and continues to work closely with the Alzheimer’s Association to help raise support and funding for a cure. For more information, visit www.sparrowhall.com.