Unfortunately, I did not make it to Melissa Stern's recent show at Capitol Hill's Fetherston Gallery until the gallery was taking down the sculptures, earlier this week. I am sorry about that, but you can still see the pieces, Betsy Fetherson tells me, because they will be in the basement room of the gallery for a while still. I recommend doing that.

The way the sculptures work is that they come with QR codes printed and pasted on the wall next to them. When you put your phone up to scan the QR code, you are directed to an audio file your phone plays, of an actor reading a story written especially for that sculpture. (If you don't have a phone, no problem. The gallery has a little audio player with headphones you can use for free.) The series is called The Talking Cure. (Stern's Kickstarter page for the project is here.)

Sculptures with stories, music with stories—any of these interpretive dances can go terribly wrong. But while I didn't get to experience all of the pieces in The Talking Cure, several had me riveted. The storytellers revealed the sculptures slowly, detail by detail, with their unfolding narratives. I heard, then saw more, then heard more, then saw more.

I'll attach the QR code for this one, along with two more sets of sculptures and their stories, on the jump.