Archive for the ‘Around Town’ Category
We’re taking some credit for the lack of snow
Part of the concept drawing for "Lucent Gale", the second-place proposal for the Winter Wonderland competition, by Drew Holmgren, Collin Johnson, and Tali Johnson.
We issued a press release yesterday with an update on Winter Wonderland, a winter Defiant Gardens project. For the project, we joined forces with artist, and NDSU assistant professor of landscape architecture, Stevie Famulari, and the NDSU Memorial Union Gallery to hold a juried display of snow sculptures the first week of February.
At least, we’d planned to do that. In case you haven’t noticed how limber your back feels from lack of shoveling, we don’t have enough snow for the designers to build the structures. So, the decision was made to cancel the event. On the one hand, it’s a shame that we’re unable to present this fun, winter-only spectacle … but on the other hand, we’re going to take a little credit for that limber back. From the release:
“We think that this project shows the power of art to not just change lives but to change the weather,” said Colleen Sheehy, director and CEO of the Museum. “The mere planning and organizing of ‘Winter Wonderland’ overturned weather predictions that promised a very snowy winter caused by El Nina, and produced the snowless, warm season we’ve enjoyed this year. That was an inadvertent impact of this project.”
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“Our arts community, in preparation for toughing out our typically intense January and February temperatures and snow in a creative way, would like to take credit for our lack of snow by simply planning this event,” Famulari said.
Of course, we say all this with tongue in cheek; the lack of snow has derailed a lot of cold-snubbing fun in our area. The St. Paul Winter Carnival also cancelled its snow sculpture competition and the Beargrease Sled Dog Race, another regional favorite, also had to cancel this year’s event. All of these represent a dint in our respective economies and deprive us all of a needed reprieve from the winter doldrums.
You can, at the very least, see the designs that were meant to be part of Winter Wonderland. They’ll be on display at the Memorial Union Gallery January 12 – 26 and here at the Museum February 3 – 12.
Rebecca Krinke maps out emotions
This evening, Rebecca Krinke will speak at Fargo City Hall as part of the Go2030 long-range planning initiative. The event will get under way at 7 p.m.
Krinke will give a talk, entitled The Emotional Landscape, on her recent work, notably the project Unseen/Seen: The Mapping of Joy and Pain. The project involved taking a large map of Minneapolis/St. Paul into public spaces and asking passersby to color in spots where they’ve felt joy and spots where they’ve felt pain. The participants (you can watch them at work in this video) worked different sides of their experiences, leveraging their spatial memories and physical history with their emotional memories and history. The resulting conversations are touching, funny, and revealing. The experience of working with The Mapping of Joy and Pain appeals to participants’ broader emotional sense (“How about that place in St. Paul where your car got stolen?”) and their love of details (“8:07, right there, which is the time that Todd proposed to me on King’s Hill.”).
Krinke teaches in the College of Design at the University of Minnesota. We look forward to hearing more about The Mapping of Joy and Pain, along with her many other projects, from her this evening.
To learn more:
- Visit Rebecca Krinke’s website at rebeccakrinke.com
- Read more about The Mapping of Joy and Pain at her blog, Mapping Joy and Pain
- Watch a video of The Mapping of Joy and Pain process (YouTube)
Kinji Akagawa: Feeling Beauty in the City
Imagine a Fargo more condusive to creative life, one with more spaces allowing you to rest your feet, reflect on your surroundings, or eat lunch outside while you read a book. Imagine a Fargo that encourages you to be healthier and more active, one in which your stressful life is buffered by spaces where you can meet with friends and chat under the late autumn sun.
Such a city is the goal of artist Kinji Akagawa – places that are healthier and cleaner, places that contribute to a more balanced lifestyle for inhabitants and build a sense of serenity and cohesiveness. Akagawa’s public art works do this by both accentuating and deintensifying the environment, offering city dwellers a place to pause or socialize. He creates small, everyday oases that defuse a city’s callous nature, exploring the relationship between art and the community through the use of elegant shapes and natural materials, mainly stone and wood. His works are meant to be practical as well as beautiful, a notion perhaps best seen through his famous benches – two such works can be found in the Walker Sculpture Garden and Nicollet Mall.
Akagawa is a well-known figure in the public art movement, a professor emeritus of the Minneapolis College of Art and Design and a recipient of the 2009 McKnight Distinguished Artist award. He was also part of the Museum’s 2009 Defiant Gardens Symposium. In a presentation entitled “Feeling Beauty in the City,” Akagawa will encourage the City of Fargo to consider issues addressed in his work in its long-range planning process. The presentation will be held at Fargo City Hall Wednesday, October 5, at 7 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
- Read Kinji Akagawa’s bio on Wikipedia
- Read and listen to a 2009 MPR interview with Kinji Akagawa
- See the work Garden Seating, Reading, Thinking at the Walker Sculpture Garden
- View some of Akagawa’s print work through the Highpoint Center for Printmaking
2011 FMVA Studio Crawl Preview
It’s almost that time again … time for the annual FMVA Studio Crawl, coming to a neighborhood near you this Saturday and Sunday, October 1 and 2 from noon to 6 p.m.
As partners of the Studio Crawl, each year we get the opportunity to host a preview exhibition of work by participating artists. The preview showcases the artistic talents at work here in the F-M area, but it also has a more basic purpose: to give everyone the opportunity to map out their Studio Crawl experience by seeing work up close and personal. Before heading out for the crawl this Saturday or Sunday, swing by the Museum to pick up a Studio Crawl map and get a nutshell glimpse of the whole shebang (maps are also available here, at fmva.us.) We’re also holding a meet-and-greet with our new curator, Megan Johnston, on Saturday morning from 10 a.m. – noon during Kid Quest, so it’s also a good opportunity to say hello and welcome Megan to our arts community.
To give you a preview of the preview, below are a few images of work from the Studio Crawl Preview exhibition to whet your appetite. We’ll see you out and about on the Crawl this weekend!
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- From l to r, works by Bruce Crummy, Brenda Luthi, Meg Spielman Peldo, and Scott Thuen
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- Mark Bratlie, “Walleye in Glass”
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- Brad Bachmeier, “The Return of the Golem”
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- Tim Ray, “Sketch for Big Painting” (left), and Dale Cook, “Untitled”
Bike Jamboree Recap
On the 18th, we hosted our third Plains InsideOUT event, the Bike Jamboree. The event, which was put on in partnership with Great Northern Bicycle Co. and the FM Community Bike Workshop, wasn’t just a bunch of fun activities with bikes. It also demonstrated that art and transportation are vehicles (pun intended) for stitching a city together into a healthier, more vibrant place to live.
The festivities kicked off with a few art-making activities themed around bikes. We made spoke cards, decorated bikes, and worked together in creating a big, bike-able canvas:
We also had some tasty treats, thanks to The Baking Cup:
Later in the evening, about two dozen of us hopped on our bikes to take a public art tour through downtown. Public art is becoming a part of the fabric of downtown Fargo thanks especially to folks like Paul Ide, whose murals were a backbone of the tour. Ide, who we’ve also been working with through the Hip Hop Don’t Stop events, was gracious enough to join us and provide background on his work. We had a lively discussion about commercial art at the Sunny Brook whiskey mural and also debated the placement of the Ten Commandments near the Civic Center and Fargo Public Library. Megan Johnston, our new curator, bravely rode along to lead discussion despite being new to Fargo streets and not having ridden a bike in a while. We ended the ride at the Red Raven Espresso Parlor, where we were treated to lemonade and music by We. The bike tour was a hit. We’ll try doing it again before the end of the summer and we’re also working on a Foursquare list of public art and street art in downtown for those who’d like to check them out themselves.
PAM curator (center) discusses the Sunny Brook Whiskey mural at 320 5th St N.
The mural by Paul Ide and JAWSH at Roberts Street Studio.
As dark settled in, Tom from Great Northern fired up the Mighty Quinn, a five-person bicycle, for a showing of Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure in the Museum parking lot. About 40 people biked in to watch. And, while it’s a silly movie, showing Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure in this way makes a few serious points. First, it’s possible for entertainment like movies to be enjoyed off the grid. And second, bikes can do more than get us from one place to another. They can literally be an engine for a more sustainable way of life.
It was a wonderful event. Thanks to all who came, and thanks to our hard-working partners at the Bike Workshop and Great Northern. Big, big thanks to our sponsors at Gate City Bank, Milestones Photography, and Spicy Pie for helping to make this a free event. Special thanks to Denise Knudson at DK Custom Framing for leading the bike tour, to Shane Reetz from Fitz and Flick for the photos of the bike tour and the movie (view more at Shane’s Facebook page here), and Britta Trygstad (view more photos on her blog here) from Milestones for photos at the art-making activities.
Hot Weekend, Cool Events: HHDS3 and Ramp Jam at the Plains
Hip Hop Don't Stop 3 Mural - Arctic Audio on 8th St. South in Fargo.
Hip Hop Don't Stop 3 mural logo - these penguins have no problem staying cool!
Downtown Fargo’s scenery is always evolving, and after last weekend, it has a bit more color thanks to the great new mural on the Arctic Audio building on 8th Street South. This mural is the product of the third installment of Hip Hop Don’t Stop, a collaborative mural painting project co-presented by Plains Art Museum and Idehaus. HHDS3 brought together artist Paul Ide and other Midwest premier street artists; STUN, EACH2, TOIL and JAPL to create the mural, Friday through Monday, while enjoying the cool beats of local DJ’s and hip-hop artists. Check out more of Ide’s work throughout downtown at the Gasper’s School of Dance and Performing Arts, Roberts Street Studio and behind Art Materials on Broadway.
As part of the Downtown Street Fair, the Museum presented Ramp Jam at the Plains Saturday afternoon – ramps were erected in front of the Museum for skateboarders, bikes, and inline skates. “The community support we saw on Saturday was great. Loads of people from the Street Fair stopped by to check out the action, even in the heat,” Museum Graphics Director Cody Jacobson said. Maybe it was the free hot dogs or This Skate and Snow merch giveaways, but skaters of all ages came out to show off their moves on the ramps.
Skateboarder Eric Hanson jumps a gap at the Ramp Jam.
Kids beat the heat at the Ramp Jam with fun water toys.
If you missed any of the action, check out the Museum Flickr page for more photos or come visit the Museum and check out Tom Kemmer’s skateboarding photography and videography, Local Spots, which is currently on display in the Xcel and Serkland Law Galleries. Haven’t had enough of all things speedy on wheels? Join us August 18 for Bike Jamboree + Bike-In Movie Night for fun with a bicycle art project, bike tour of public art downtown, and an outdoor screening of “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure” powered by The Mighty Quinn, a five-person bicycle! Donations are still needed for this event, please head over to the Events Page to learn more.
Skateboards and Mural Art Round Out a Mammoth Weekend
Tom Kemmer gets a hand constructing a ramp for Saturday's Ramp Jam at the Plains
That great summer Fargo pastime, the Downtown Street Fair, will bring scads of vendors and shoppers to our neighborhood starting Thursday. Along with it will come the tantalizing smells of fair food, the possibility of crazy heat, and a handful of great (and free) events presented by the Museum.
The fun gets started with the third installment of Hip Hop Don’t Stop, a collaborative mural painting project spearheaded by artist Paul Ide and co-presented by Plains Art Museum and Idehaus. HHDS3 will feature a slew of Midwest street artists painting a mural at the Arctic Audio building on 8th Street South in downtown Fargo. Boosting the vibe during the painting sessions will be an assortment of DJ’s and hip-hop artists from around the region. The public can stop by, say hi, and check out the progress from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday through Monday (weather permitting). Along with the mural painting, South Moorhead Scratch Dungeon member DJ Stupid Birthday will present a demonstration and talk on the evolution of the turntable DJ at the Museum on Friday evening at 6 p.m. If you like turntables, don’t miss it.
On Saturday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., we’ll be holding a Ramp Jam on 7th Street North in front of the Museum. The ramps will be open to skateboarders, bikes, and inline skates of all ages. The Ramp Jam is being organized by Museum Graphics Director Cody Jacobson along with Tom Kemmer (see photos above and below), whose exhibition of skateboarding photography and videography, Local Spots, is currently on display in the Xcel and Serkland Law Galleries. (All riders must sign a release form to ride the course. Under 18 needs a parent or guardian signature. Click here to download a release form or stop by THIS skate and snow, 625 1st Ave N, Downtown Fargo.
Eep.
Admission to the galleries is free all day on Saturday too, so feel free to stop by, rest your feet, take advantage of our air conditioning, and check out all of our current exhibitions.
That said, what’s your favorite part of the Street Fair weekend? Tell us in the comments.
Jack Becker Presentation, Part of Go 2030
Jack Becker, executive director of Forecast Public Art, will give a presentation this evening at 7 p.m. in the Fargo city commission chambers on advancing and strengthening the field of public art. Becker is a dynamic speaker who has also served as a public art consultant since 1994, helping connect the ideas and energies of artists with the needs of communities. In 2007 he received Public Art Network Award of Excellence from Americans for the Arts for his contribution to the field.
Becker’s presentation is part of a series of talks and community meetings, Go 2030, being held by the city of Fargo in advance of its 2030 comprehensive plan. Currently, the city is in the exploratory phase of the plan and is gathering public input through these events. (Learn more at the Go 2030 website and get updates through their Facebook page.)
Advancing public art initiatives has been a focus of the Museum’s mission through the Defiant Gardens program and a variety of other efforts. The Museum is working closely with city officials in Fargo and Moorhead, artists, community members, and art educators to demonstrate how communities can be strengthened and quality of life improved through such initiatives. We encourage you to attend today’s presentation to learn more about public art and the 2030 comprehensive plan.
The Year in Review, Pt. I
Over the past year, we saw a full spectrum of events, activities and happenings, from the grandiose to the modest. On the big end, we unveiled a really, really big work of art. On the smaller end, individuals – from children to adults – walked through our doors and simply allowed art to be part of their everyday lives. We’re equally proud of our accomplishments, big or small, and we’re happy to have contributed to the community over the last year.
The Mighty Quinn, a five-person bicycle that was used to power a bike-in movie during Bikes, Art and Community Health Week
Here’s Part I of a snapshot of the year that was. If you attended or were part of any of these programs, please leave your thoughts in the comments:
- In January, we kicked off our year in exhibitions with Individual to Icon: Portraits of the Famous and Almost Famous from Folk Art to Facebook, an innovative exploration of portraiture that drew together over a dozen artists from across multiple disciplines. The show had numerous highlights, from Christopher Baker’s Hello World, or How I Learned to Stop Listening and Love the Noise, an immersive video installation, to photographs by Annie Leibovitz.
- January also brought another great year of Kid Quest, our popular, free art experience for families. Held the first Saturday of most months, Kid Quest has become one of the most vital services we offer here at the Museum, serving dozens of families each month.
- We offered portraiture classes, sculpture classes and watercolor classes in early 2010 through our Experiences for Life program. Our classes are geared toward both children and adults, often working together in the same class. Experiences for Life also offered opportunities for local arts educators to share their expertise.
- March was Youth Art Month, and to celebrate the Museum exhibited works by hundreds of grade-school and high-school students from across the region. We also had a spectacular, albeit brief, exhibition of birdhouses custom made by NDSU architecture students.
- As spring continued, we opened the exhibition The White Album: The Beatles Meet the Plains, a mashup of works from our permanent collection with The Beatles’ 1968 The Beatles, popularly known as “The White Album.” The response to the exhibition was tremendous, drawing Beatles fans and visual art fans alike. In May, we held our 14th annual Spring Gala, raising money for our education programs while having a great time.
- We were incredibly active this past summer offering summer camps for youth and furthering public art projects through Plains Inside Out activities – Hip Hop Don’t Stop; the In the Heart of the Beast residency and program; Bikes, Art and Community Health Week; and Defiant Gardens for Fargo-Moorhead, where the Museum worked with community leaders in Moorhead to determine the future of the Moorhead Power Plant site.
Next, we’ll round out 2010 with a look back at the autumn months.
Mark Dion’s Suprising Designs
Mark Dion has built a career presenting alternative arrangements to the current dominant theories of social organization through inventive, and often humorous, small buildings and installation pieces that find alternate ways of ordering everyday objects and questioning the interaction with those objects. He will present a few of his ideas in a lecture at NDSU’s Renaissance Hall on Monday, November 15 at 4:15 p.m. Dion will also work with students and faculty to develop ideas for a “Wintergarden Fern Grotto,” his Defiant Garden idea.
The above photo comes from the inside of Neukom Vivarium, a cross between a sculpture, an architectural project, and an art object placed in the Olympic Sculpture Park in Seattle. Neukom Vivarium involved removing a large log from a forest and placing it in a specially designed greenhouse where its decomposition – and the new life that began to take hold – could be carefully observed.
- Mark Dion was featured in the PBS series Art:21, where his Neukom Vivarium design was prominently featured. Visit the Art:21 website to view videos and slideshows of Dion at work on the project.
- View other work by Mark Dion at artnet.
Dion’s visit to Fargo is co-sponsored by Plains Art Museum, NDSU Department of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, NDSU Department of Visual Arts, and MSUM Department of Art and Design.
