ALFRED ART WALK REVIVAL BY THE SPACE AND PLACE CLASS FRIDAY, APRIL 2, 5-8PM
"Being With" is an exhibition event of projects by the Space and Place class. This exhibition represents the explorations and research of this group of artists into specific spaces and places around Alfred, New York and offers projects that document observations, provide platforms for discussion, and offer means for interaction.
Projects will happen at several locations around the village of Alfred. Start at the Cohen Gallery on Main Street to pick up maps and other information.
Tara Thomas's Tangled Roots is the beginning of a series of micro-maps of human hair that are joined together. This cluster depicts Alfred, NY and the birthplace of some important people I have met here. Utilizing locally sourced human hair to create these maps, I seek to highlight the value of a person and their time. Human hair on average grows 3-6 inches per year, it takes 3-5 years to grow 14 inches of hair. This growth not only takes time, but energy and care. This work is about the people we meet along our journeys and discusses the importance of bonding and valuing individuals.
Misty Long-Donoho's Winner Takes All? is an interactive mini table tennis cart that challenges our understanding of success and failure. When winning is now losing and losing is now winning; what does it mean to lose on purpose? Is that a win or is that a loss? Is that succeeding at failing? Through play and an altered method of keeping score, participants will be challenged on the construct of success and failure. Participants will learn to affirm their success and failure by publicly writing them on the scoreboard. Are you ready to play?
Mollie McKinley’sSummer Goth explores rural cemeteries, Arcadian landscapes, and the phenomenology of ghosts through a critique of death and dying culture in America. The artist book includes poetic text and photographs, culminating in a live site performance in May.
Kim Wilcox's Little Cabinet of Comforts is a place for the open exchange of unused items of comfort, safety or care. It is also an opportunity for those objects within to tell a story about this community. Open for participation. This could be a letter of encouragement for a stranger, a propagated plant, a meaningful book, self-care products, baked goods, handmade stoneware, or any item or Knick knacks that reminds you of home. Bring warmth and kindness to your community in this difficult time and find some for yourself at The Little Cabinet of Comforts.
Daniel Alessi'sBeing Submerged highlights the changes of the Almond Dam, also known as Canacadea state park. Being Submerged, is a showcase of different little art works to help communicate to the audience the timeline of the creation of the Dam and the history before the creation of the Dam.
Maddy Willis-Lorenz's Mirrored View places mirrored sculptures in 2 locations in the Village of Alfred. There will be four sculptures in each of the two locations, placed at the eye-level of animals ubiquitous to the village, namely frogs, cats, skunks, and deer. The goal of these two installations, placed outside of the Montessori school and the Celadon Ceramic showroom respectively, is to reflect the viewers' gaze back onto them from the point of view of these animals, especially in a place where the natural world and the “man-made” are so closely integrated.
Wes Livezey's Honor Psoas is a wearable silicone object representing the psoas muscle which connects the thoracic spine to the top of the femur, near its connection to the pelvis. On a technical level, this muscle controls hip rotation, posture, walking, and pelvic alignment. The psoas is not just a transportation muscle, however, as it is also directly linked to our fight or flight instinct, feelings of anxiety, and even the orgasm. Within this muscle there are aspects of self-preservation, mental distress, and intense physical pleasure. Despite its many capabilities, the psoas is often not discussed or honored for the incredible work it does to keep us safe and moving throughout the world. This project is meant to draw awareness to the muscular systems that are within us all and the ways in which we, often unknowingly, abuse our own bodies.
JP Batra's Where the Earth Meets the Sky is a sculpture piece that will be set up near Canacadea Creek and will focus on the origin of the Town of Alfred and climate change in the area.
Henry Jackson-Spieker's Interstitial Voidcalls attention to architectural anomalies, small inaccessible spaces, that fall into the background becoming overlooked and underutilized.
Pinch Pot Planters On Friday March 19, The Clay Collective will be leading a Zoom lesson on how to make clay pinch pot succulent planters as part of the Alfred Art Walk. Pinch pot succulent planters will be given out next fall to welcome the class of 2025. Each incoming AU student will be given one of these wonderful creations with a succulent to welcome them to their new home. Pick up kits in Powell Campus Center beginning Tuesday, March 16 on a first come, first served basis. Register in advance below! https://alfredu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_UAhbOvasSHOv4pH-WXkBNA