Catalyst Conversations Reading Circle & Discussion with Anna Von Mertens

A summer reading circle featuring Attention Is Discovery by Anna Von Mertens, culminating in a September salon discussion with the author
About this Event

Join the Catalyst Conversations inaugural Reading Circle this summer featuring artist and author Anna Von Mertens and her book Attention Is Discovery (MIT Press, 2025).

This summer-long reading experience is designed as a thoughtful, community-centered book club exploring creativity, perception, memory, and the art of paying attention. Together, participants will read and reflect on Attention Is Discovery throughout the summer, culminating in an intimate dinner salon discussion with author Anna Von Mertens this fall.

Blending literary conversation, artistic inquiry, and shared meals, the Reading Circle offers space for deeper engagement with ideas and with one another.

Whether you are an artist, writer, curator, collector, or simply curious about how attention shapes the way we experience the world, we welcome you into the conversation.

Thanks to our bookselling partner Porter Square Books.

What to Expect

• A summer reading experience around Attention Is Discovery
• A curated reading guide PDF by the author
• Artist studio images or process notes from Anna
• An intimate fall dinner salon with Anna Von Mertens (space is limited)
• Thoughtful dialogue at the intersection of art, observation, memory, and culture

Timeline

Summer 2026 Reading Circle begins

Tues. June 30th at noon. Author welcome and remarks. Participants receive the summer reading guide. UPDATE: This will be on INSTAGRAM LIVE (not Zoom)

Fall 2026

September Time/Date TBA - Salon discussion with the author (Zoom)

For Patrons: Private dinner salon with Anna Von Mertens and friends on Sun. Sept. 27th.

Patron Access

This experience is offered exclusively for Catalyst Conversations patrons and invited guests. Space for the fall dinner salon will be limited to preserve an intimate conversational setting.

About the Author

Anna Von Mertens is an artist and writer whose work explores history, memory, perception, astronomy, and collective experience through textiles, drawing, and research-based practice. Attention Is Discovery reflects on the transformative power of sustained observation and creative attention.

Catalyst Conversations creates intimate gatherings exploring art, ideas, culture, and creative practice through salons, dinners, and community dialogue.