New Public Sites – T/MBX

New Public Sites Typology Middle Branch Crossing

New Public Sites Typology Middle Branch Crossing

EXPLORE A THRILLING URBAN SUBLIME

Please join me for my MFA thesis show and events, New Public Sites – T/MBX,

April 23rd – May 2nd.
The Typology of New Public Sites (NPS-T) and New Public Sites – Middle Branch Crossing (NPS-MBX) are two interrelated investigations into the invisible sites and overlooked features of our everyday environment. Serving as both field guide and manifesto, NPS-T organizes these liminal public spaces and pedestrian experiences into a system of sites, components and qualities, indexed and described through architectural and poetic terms and definitions. Putting this typological language into action, NPS-MBX explores Baltimore’s spectacular southern gateway – the Middle Branch, a majestic amalgam of voids, lost spaces, paths, pauses and vistas.Opening reception Friday, April 23rd, 5-7pm
Maryland Institute College of Art – Fox Building
1303 Mount Royal Ave, Baltimore, MD 21217
Gallery talk Wednesday, April 28, 1-3pm.

Participants are invited to explore the Middle Branch Crossing through three modes of transit: car, bicycle and light rail. Sweeping back and forth across the I-95/I-395 interchange, the car tour will provide breathtaking zoomscapes of the water below and city beyond. At a slower pace, the bicycle tour will navigate sites of pause south of the stadium, before joining the Gwynns Falls Trail as it skirts the vistas of the Middle Branch’s western shore. Heading farther south, the light rail tour will glide over fluid dynamics and unseen fields before culminating in an excursion of radical pedestrianism.Free NPS-Button and copy of The Typology of New Public Sites for all intrepid participants!

Car – Sat/Apr.24, 2pm
Bicycle – Wed/Apr.28, 3:30pm
Light Rail – Sat/May.1, 2pm

New Public Sites Middle Branch Crossing tours

HOMEWORKS / Mirkwood Estates at CCBC Dundalk Gallery

Homeworks Mirkwood Estates Tinges Commons install

Homeworks Mirkwood Estates Tinges Commons install

Please join us at the CCBC Dundalk Gallery for the opening reception of Homeworks, a group show featuring a full-scale, interactive installation by Mirkwood Estates alongside works by well-known local artists Megan Lavelle and Hugh Pocock. In the words of curator Jessica Walton:

Homeworks” explores the use of domestic space as a site-specific medium for artistic practice. Artists in the show install, create, perform, and grow works in and around their living space. In this way the work is part performance, part collaboration, part installation, and part daily domestic experience.

The opening reception will take place on Friday, February 19th, from 6-8pm at the CCBC Dundalk Gallery. In the spirit of Mirkwood, the opening will feature three live performances by musicians Andy Hayleck, Bethany Dinsick and Owen Gardner.
CCBC Dundalk Gallery
K Building
Homeworks will run through March 19, 2010.

USM-Sine in Easter Rabbit at the Hexagon

My latest new public tape installation USM-Sine is up for Joseph Young’s book release party/performance/art show at the Hexagon. Joe asked me to interpret the following story from his new book, Easter Rabbit:

Sine
A white line, across the cement, under the park, through the door, faint and hardly there, to its red center.

I responded with two white lines leading from Charles Street, down the sidewalk, and into the gallery where they continue to intersect before concluding at a red spot.
The show will be up until January 3rd, check it out!

Click here to see more documentation of the installation.

THE HEXAGON
1825 North Charles Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21201

Press Release below…

Easter Rabbit by Joseph Young

The Hexagon and Publishing Genius Press present: Easter Rabbit Book Release Party and More Than Words gallery exhibition.
December 12th, 2009 to January 3, 2010.
Opening Reception and Release Party: December 12 starting at 7pm

Baltimore author Joseph Young is celebrating the release of his book of microfictions, Easter Rabbit, by bringing together a diverse team of musicians, performers, and visual artists to add their vision to the book’s stories.

Easter Rabbit, published by local small press Publishing Genius, comprises 86 extremely short stories, with some stories as short as 17 words. At the release party, a team of actors will dramatize several of the stories, while a group of painters and other artists will show work inspired by the book. Local band Sweatpants will be on hand to play music composed especially for the event.

Artists included in the exhibition are Lauren Boilini, Graham Coreil-Allen, Kathy Fahey, Luca DiPierro, Paul Jeanes, Magnolia Laurie, and Easter Rabbit cover artist Christine Sajecki. Actors are Linda Franklin and Caleb Stine, directed by Nancy Murray. Sweatpants is Adam Robinson, Jamie Gaughran-Perez, and David NeSmith.

USM-Escape Vines in the Axis Alley show opens Oct 18

USM EscapeVines

USM EscapeVines

Urban Surface Map – EscapeVines
2108 N. Calvert Street, rear facade
Axis Alley
2014-2214 N. Calvert Street
October 18th, 2009 – April 2010
axisalley.wordpress.com

Opening October 18th, 2009, 2-6pm

Please join me for the opening of my latest public project, Urban Surface Map – EscapeVines in conjunction with the Axis Alley public art show on Sunday, October 18th from 2-6pm. USM-EscapeVines is an angular network of colorful lines that playfully follow the path of the fire escape as they mimic the ascendant vines growing up the rear facade of 2108 N. Calvert Street. Participants who climb the fire escape will be welcomed with a close-up of the installation as well as fantastic views of the cityscape!

Urban Surface Map – EscapeVines, October 2009, Baltimore, MD. Variable dimensions, inverted marking paint along fire escape. Installation view.

Click here for full documentation of the installation.

Axis Alley card back Axis Alley card front

Color Path Projections at Tinges Commons

09 09 20 Tinges Commons Color Paths Projections 01

09 09 20 Tinges Commons Color Paths Projections 01

Color Path Projections
Cyle Metzger and Colin Benjamin
September 20th – October 17th

Tinges Commons is proud to present its second public art show featuring works by Cyle Metzger and Colin Benjamin. Color Path Projections includes two vivid installations that use line, color and space to emphasize movement along the adjacent footpath. On the Tinges Commons Kiosk, Metzger presents us with PS5, a self-described “paintstallation” that uses two-dimensional plains to imply a three-dimensionality of the space within the image. The colors for the billboard-style painting are intended to be integrative yet vibrant, making use of the area’s own palette to emphasize a footpath that naturally emerged from the site and inspired an effort to improve the quality of its common use.

Benjamin offers us Present paths are reflective spaces (here and there), a site-specific, tensile structure of driveway reflectors and bright flagging tape suggesting internal tension and spatial projection within the compact pedestrian zone. The architectural configuration of ephemeral construction materials exists outside of the frame of everyday route and routine, asking the pedestrian to make a mental and physical leap between “here and there”. Through playful color and dynamic spatial relationships, the artists hope to enhance pedestrian experience within Tinges Commons and challenge its users to reconsider their engagement with public space.

Tinges Commons is funded by the Greater Homewood Community Corporation, the Maryland Cooperative Extension, the Maryland State Arts Council, Mayor Sheila Dixon and the Baltimore Office of Promotion and The Arts.

Curated by Graham Coreil-Allen

09 09 20 Tinges Commons Color Paths Projections 15 09 09 20 Tinges Commons Color Paths Projections 14  09 09 20 Tinges Commons Color Paths Projections 12  09 09 20 Tinges Commons Color Paths Projections 10 09 09 20 Tinges Commons Color Paths Projections 09 09 09 20 Tinges Commons Color Paths Projections 08 09 09 20 Tinges Commons Color Paths Projections 07    09 09 20 Tinges Commons Color Paths Projections 03 09 09 20 Tinges Commons Color Paths Projections 02

“Waverly Pastoral” Public Art Show and Grand Opening Garden Party at Tinges Commons, July 26th

On Sunday, July 26th, from 4-8pm, Tinge Commons will host “Waverly Pastoral”, its first public art opening and garden party featuring installations by Liz Donadio and Clarissa Gregory alongside freshly prepared organic food from the community garden. Tinges Commons is a community garden and collaborative, contemporary public art space at the southeast corner of Frisby and 33rd Streets in Waverly, Baltimore.

Waverly Pastoral will feature two art projects exploring natural spaces within the urban environment. Liz Donadio will present “Hidden Waverly”, a series of large-scale photographs focusing on discrete pockets of wild greenery within Waverly. A neighborhood map will show participants where to find these hidden green spaces. Meanwhile, Clarissa Gregory will set up “Waiting for the birds”, a sculptural forest installation of growth and decay populated by a variety of enchanting trees made out of scavenged materials. Combined, these installations will offer viewers a poetic situation of half reality and half fantasy.

The art opening will be part of a garden party celebrating the grand opening of Tinges Commons as a community green space in Waverly. The party will include free food from the community garden prepared by volunteers on site. Resonating with nearby gardens and the local farmers market, this event will be an opportunity for neighborhood residents and the public at large to get to know each other and learn more about Waverly as an exciting place for sustainable green projects.

Tinges Commons is funded by the Greater Homewood Community Corporation, the Maryland Cooperative Extension, the Maryland State Arts Council, Mayor Sheila Dixon and the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts.

Curated by
Graham Coreil-Allen

Whartscape Tapeway and Tri-Flags

Whartscape Tapeway 01

I had the privilege of setting up two installations during this year’s Whartscape. “Tapeway” was a colorful tape installation along the sidewalk leading into the MICA parking lot. With this piece I hoped to cultivate a sense of visual excitement beginning half-way down the block and culminating at the entrance to Whartscape. Various colors of tape began far apart, moved towards the entrance, started intersecting and became increasingly intense as audience members approached the entrance threshold. The installation was well received and I plan on doing similar public tape installation in the near future.

Click here for full documentation.

Whartscape Tapeway 01

“Tri-Flags” were two pair of bamboo tripods I lashed together that each displayed three colorful flags. Both stages in the Whartscape outdoor lot were framed by these vibrant flag stands. More than just stage decoration, I see these structures as becoming part of my growing collection of temporary public event structures. I plan on re-using the tripods with an array of interchangeable flags alongside other banners and kiosks in future parades and festivals. This collection of nomadic party infrastructure will help to create a sense place within temporal situations of play and celebration.

Whartscape Tapeway 02 Whartscape Tapeway 06 Whartscape Tapeway 05 Whartscape Tri-flags 03 Whartscape Tri-flags 02 Whartscape Tri-flags 01 Whartscape Tapeway 04 Whartscape Tapeway 03

Mirkwood Estates blog now up!

09 04 30 Mirkwood Performance Night - JJR Bob Calusari Jared Josh 05

MIRKWOOD ESTATES BLOG

Mirkwood Estates is comprised of Mirkwood and Tinges Commons. Mirkwood is a home and performance space. In the last week of each month come enjoy domestic happenings, experimental sound performance, spoken word readings and installation art. Tinges Commons is a community garden and collaborative, contemporary public art space on the vacant lot at the southeast corner of Frisby and 33rd Streets. Mirkwood Estates is located at 701 East 33rd Street, Baltimore, MD 21218.

09 04 30 Mirkwood Performance Night - JJR Bob Calusari Jared Josh 05 09 04 30 Mirkwood Performance Night - JJR Bob Calusari Jared Josh 14

New Public Sites – Symphony Terrace Vista

Symphony Terrace Vista is a continuation of the New Public Sites installation series where I invite participants to explore invisible or unseen public spaces. For NPS-STV I set up neon pink “x”s leading people to the circular, landscape brick terrace structure in front the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra building at Preston Street and Park Avenue. After climbing the odd HVAC structure, one finds three yellow strips of tape that both orient the viewer and frame a fantastic cityscape vista.

This installation was a part of the Wandering: You Are Here show at MICA’s Middendorf gallery that ran December 3-10, 2008.

Click here for full documentation.