Edgewood Mural on WAMU

Edgewood Mural on WAMU

Tune into WAMU 88.5 FM

July 17th, 2009 at 1:00 PM EDT to hear a story on the Edgewood mural project in DC. Metro Connection Host David Furst visited the project team on site on Monday and interviewed artists Peter Krsko, Pose 2, and Mike Money.

The DC Creates! Public Art Program / Call to Artists

Takoma Metro Public Art Project
Deadline: Friday, August 14, 2009 at 5:30 pm
Budget: $250,000

The DC Creates! Public Art Program at the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (DCCAH), in collaboration with the Washington Area Metropolitan Transit Authority, Art in Transit Program (WMATA) and the Takoma community, seek an artist or art team to design, create, and install artwork that will be located within the Takoma Metro underpass. The goal of this project is to create a vibrant and inviting gateway to the Takoma DC community. The colorful artwork will provide an “avenue” for residents, commuters and visitors to enjoy, admire and revitalize the community as well as express the unique story of historic Takoma.

For more information, email Rachel.Dickerson[at]dc.gov or call (202) 724-5613.

Download the application

Public Arts Through Story Telling

(Washington, DC) The story of the Edgewood Mural is told through its characters: the 45 young artists of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities ' Youth Summer Employment Program, five directing artists, DC muralists, and the entire Edgewood community. This week, the Edgewood Mural project team stretched themselves and reached out further into the community to engage more storytellers. On Monday, the young artists participated in a spokesperson training session to put words to their art. They shared the messages they hope the mural will communicate.

"We are creating unity: uniting different DC neighborhoods, uniting young artists with experienced professionals, and uniting communities in their spaces," said Artist Pose 2.

Artist Quest Skinner stated her hope that the Edgewood Mural, "Showcases these young artists' unique talents, dreams, and expressions. I really want these young artists to leave with new gateways and bridges to their future." The mural team sees art as empowerment through the expression of self, and unity can be fostered through joint creativity. The mural is a synergistic effort between self and community, inner and outer. For the Edgewood Mural project, public art is not only the goal. The art is also the frame for the intangible results, such as inspiration to a young child, a flash of vibrant color in the eyes of a cyclist along the new Metropolitan Branch Trail, or a smile on the face of WMATA rider who sees the mural from the Red Line train.

On Tuesday, July 21, the Edgewood Mural project team presented its vision for art and engagement at the local Advisory Neighborhood Commission 5C, which considers a wide range of policies and programs affecting their neighborhoods, including traffic, parking, recreation, street improvements, and more. Ten Commissioners and 30 local residents heard more about how public art can lift up residents’ lives and contribute to safer and healthier streets. “In our experience bringing murals and public art to communities, we see that communities maintain and enjoy the public spaces. Parents bring their kids, and the spaces become more active and safe,” said Peter Krsko, Director of the public arts nonprofit Albus Cavus, which is leading the Edgewood Mural effort.

Another way to bring more attention and engagement is to bring more artists. On August 15, Albus Cavus will host an all-day “mural jam” with 100 DC muralists who will bring their art to an adjoining wall, and extend the mural another 200 feet. The Edgewood Mural runs along the new Metropolitan Branch Trail.

"We want to liven up the community and get everyone to appreciate art more. The mural is about expressing ourselves and exposing the community to our talents," Participant Brooke Hargrove said. “The Edgewood Mural is creating stronger communities through empowering young DC artists to paint their generations' spirit into public spaces and create something that shows a little bit of our souls.”

This week, listen to Edgewood Mural artists Peter Krsko, Pose 2, and Mike Money on WAMU’s Metro Connection with Host David Furst.

Historic Harlem Mural To Be Restored

Historic Harlem Mural To Be Restored

Over 20 years of sun, wind, rain and wall repairs have rendered Homage to Seurat: La Grande Jatte in Harlem, the 1986 community mural by Eva Cockcroft, a ghost of its former self—the brilliant, high intensity greens, turquoise, reds, purples and yellows now dull, faded and abraded. Located on West 142nd Street between Amsterdam Avenue and Hamilton Place in West Harlem, the mural is adjacent to the Hope Steven Community Garden. The HarlemWorldblog

Rescue Public Murals

Street/ Studio

June 20 to August 01, 2009

Exhibiting Artists:
Shepard Fairey (LA), Swoon (NYC), Gaia (Brooklyn),
Imminent Disaster (Brooklyn), Oliver Vernon (Brooklyn),
James Marshall (Dalek) (NY and Raleigh, NC),
EVOL (Berlin), and PISA73 (Berlin)

You can't help but notice that the alley at 14th and P Sts is a little more appealing lately. There's more than meets the eye in this new street art gallery. You're likely to do a double take and meander back to the eye catching visuals of Shepard Fairey and Evol. Is it art, grafitti, propoganda...you might wonder. On further exploration, you find the whole alley is plastered and painted with murals. And if you somehow miss the alley gallery, you can pop out the back door of Irvine Contemporary and be treated to the variety of the wall murals produced by the Street/Studio artists.

Inside Irvine Contemporary, the artists have produced work that reflects their street styles. Evol creates urban architecture on cardboard, one of the materials of choice by several of the artists. Don't be fooled.... beautiful pieces are created on these humble materials. There's a freshness, a vitality and an urban savy that the artists bring to this work - nervy, edgy and perhaps easier for some to absorb in bite size pieces. Don't miss it! Go see for your self.

There's a great article by Jessica Dawson in the WaPo on "Street/Studio" at Irvine contemporary Gallery.

Missed the opening night? Not to worry. You can get a look at the production of the murals & see the artists at work onsite and the opening night by visiting Irvine Contemporary's Website. Slide Show Artists, Wall Murals, On-Site Projects, Works in the Exhibition at Irvine Contemporary.

Irvine Contemporary
1412 14th Street NW
Washington DC 20005
202.332.8767
info[at]irvinecontemporary.com

Shepard Fairey

PISA73

Shepard Fairey

EVOL

Oliver Vernon

Oliver Vernon, Gaia

Swoon

Swoon

Swoon, (front)
Imminent Disaster (back)

James Marshall (Dalek)

Gaia

EVOL

Oliver Vernon

Irvine Contemporary
1412 14th Street NW
Washington DC 20005
202.332.8767
info[at]irvinecontemporary.com

Incorrigible Curmudgeon: I love this mural

More Washington, DC murals by
Incorrigible Curmudgeon: I love this mural

"This is How We Live" Mural by Garin Baker

Meet the Man Behind Some of DC’s Coolest Murals - Joel Bergner

Read HERE / Prince Of Petworth- Meet the Man Behind Some of DC’s Coolest Murals - Joel Bergner

Prince of Petworth writes

I was lucky enough to run into the artist, Joel Bergner, 30, while he was painting his most recent piece. Joel is originally from Chicago but has lived in DC for the past two and a half years (near Howard University).

Madonnari Off Main - An Italian Street Chalk Festival

~ Madonnari Off Main ~

Madonnari Off Main - An Italian Street Chalk Festival
August 20-23, 2009
Downtown Glen Ellyn, IL

Witness modern-day masters of Madonnari, traditional Italian street painting dating back to the 16th century in which painters transform village street squares into colorful temporary galleries! Watch drab pavement evolve into a series of fabulous works of art alongside the Prairie Path from Main to Park!

Madonnari Off Main – An Italian Street Painting Festival, sponsored by Bells & Whistles Snackery, The Glen Ellyn Library, Team Works Media, R J Aubrey Investment Corp., Monkey Wrench Studio, Inc., and WelcomeToGlenEllyn.com in partnership with the Glen Ellyn Park District and partners - the Glen Ellyn Parks Foundation, the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana, and the National Eagle Center comes to life August 22-23, 2009.

http://madonnarioffmain.org/index.htm

Reno Tahoe Tonight - Chor Boogie

Great Interview with Street Artist Chor Boogie

Reno Tahoe Tonight - Chor Boogie

The Best Cities for Street Art - Manhattan, Los Angeles, Melbourne, London, Berlin, Sao Paulo, Paris | Travel Leisure

The Best Cities for Street Art - Manhattan, Los Angeles, Melbourne, London, Berlin, Sao Paulo, Paris | Travel Leisure

Graffiti artist accepts guilty tag, Boston probation - BostonHerald.com

Graffiti artist accepts guilty tag, Boston probation - BostonHerald.com

Graffiti artist-turned-cause-celebre Shepard Fairey was placed on probation yesterday after pleading guilty to destruction of property charges for pasting posters to signs and electrical boxes in the city.

MAYOR ADRIAN M. FENTY AND THE DC COMMISSION ON THE ARTS & HUMANITIES PROVIDE ART INSTALLATION FOR COLUMBIA HEIGHTS PARK

Columbia Heights Park Ribbon Cutting
14th & Girard Street, NW
Friday July 10, 12:00 pm

Community celebration of the opening of the new 14th and Girard Park will continue on Saturday, July 11, as DPR in partnership with the Columbia Heights/Shaw Family Support Collaborative, will host a community celebration from 6 to 9 pm.

All are invited to come out and enjoy fun, food, and entertainment.

Washington, DC – On Friday July 10, 2009, Mayor Adrian M. Fenty along with Ward 1 Councilmember Jim Graham; the DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities’ Executive Director, Gloria Nauden; Ximena Hartsock, DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) Acting Director; will join the Columbia Heights community at the new 14th and Girard Street Park for a ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the completion and opening of DPR’s newest park.

Redevelopment of the park began with a community-driven planning and design process in spring 2007 with the goal of completely redeveloping the existing park to better serve the community. Demolition of the old park, which featured large amounts of concrete and little usable green space, began in December 2008, and construction of a completely new park began earlier this year. The DC Housing Authority provided construction management for this DPR capital improvement project.

The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, located just one block from the park, has joined with DPR as a community partner and will be overseeing a mural installation by a professional artist or artist team which will work with local residents and youth to design and install the work on the 750 square foot east wall of the outdoor multi-use playcourt.

“The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities is proud to participate in this great project. The Commission is committed to giving every community in the District the opportunity to experience the great work that our city's artists have to offer,” said Commission Executive Director, Gloria Nauden.

The Commission has recently received applications from DC artists and arts organizations to be considered by an art selection panel comprised of representatives from the community, youth, District government agencies, and architects. The selected artist will be required to facilitate at least five workshops for a group of youth in the neighborhood to participate in the design and installation of the mural.