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Wartime Art Hits Thurston County Streets
Beginning on Wednesday, September 18th artwork from the Thurston County community dealing with war and wartime themes will go up on Intercity Transit buses. The artwork will grace the exterior sides and interior placards of public buses for a period of month beginning this week.
The placement of artwork on buses, referred to simply as Art on Buses, is part three of the larger Art in the Streets project, a community-based art effort which began on September 7th with the Appropriate Response: Art in Wartime (AR) exhibit. The AR exhibit addressed the communitys response to both recent and past wartimes. Along with displaying work by more than 20 visual artists, the event included workshops, performances, and the opportunity for visitors to create and display their own art throughout the day. In addition, the artwork used for the bus campaign was selected from artwork featured in the AR exhibit.
Part two of Art in the Streets was the collaborative Quilt Mural, begun on the evening of September 11th. Anyone and everyone interested in contributing to the mural was given one of 26 squares to paint at their own pace, and to include whatever perspective they chose about war and wartime. In the end the mural will be a nine by six foot patchwork on the back of the building on 600 E. 4th Avenue in downtown Olympia.
The organizers of the Art in the Streets project, a group of young artists in Olympia, had two major goals: first to showcase political art from the community in a variety of environments, taking art out of galleries and into everyday public spaces. Second, the project was intended to create the opportunity and inspire community members to use creative expression to deal with difficult and sensitive issues such as war, regardless of their training, background, age or politics.
While Art on Buses is scheduled to run only until mid-October, its organizers will be busy for months to come fundraising to gather financial support for this endeavor, scheduled to cost up to $2,000.
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FACT SHEET
What kind of event will Appropriate Response be?
Appropriate Response will be an art exhibit focusing on issues relating to war and wartime and creative expression as these affect it. The intent is to create a community space where questions about art and wartime can be raised and considered, thus encouraging engagement and dialogue within the community. The premised behind Appropriate Response is that art IS an appropriate response to war issues, because it has the ability to simultaneously be both political and personal, and in being so it can convey the complicated emotions and ideas of war to large audiences. Just as importantly, art acknowledges the humanity and individuality of each member of its audience and of its artist, making it a powerful tool for building bridges within communities.
When will all this be happening?
The exhibit will open with a reception on Saturday September 7th. Art, workshops, performances and interactive installations will be open and occurring on Sunday September 8th from noon to 9 pm. Wednesday, September 11th, will be a special community Quilt Mural downtown, everyone is invited to participate.
What kind of art will be shown at the exhibit?
Painting in acrylic & oil, photography, fiber arts, origami installations, pencil sketches, collages and multi-media works will be included. There will also be performances in dance, story telling, vocal and computer music and performance art. Some of the artists contributing work include Greg Lukens, Kevin Woida, Arun Chandra, Debbie Edden, Kristyn Leach and Mary Margaret Fondriest.
Where do the proceeds go?
All proceeds go directly towards the Art on Buses and Art in the Streets projects. Additional proceeds go to Bread and Roses, Soup Kitchen, Shelter and Drop-In Center.
What is Art on Buses and Art in the Streets?
The Art in the Streets project strives to move art from the exhibition space out into our public areas, so that we can spark interest and conversation on the issues the artworks deal with, while also investing in a landscape that reflects the members of this community. As part of Art in the Streets, Art on Buses was begun to do just that, by placing artwork from Appropriate Response on Intercity Transit buses for a period of one month.
Who is organizing Appropriate Response and Art in the Streets?
Both projects were begun by Paloma Medina, community member, student and artist, but have grown to include efforts by local artists and politically engaged individuals. Everyone is invited to participate and help out.
How can one help?
Encourage businesses to support projects such as Art in the Streets. Donate whatever amount you can to the Art on Buses project to assure it can continue happening. Contact Intercity Transit and tell them you support their decision to allow political community art to grace their buses.
Where can I get more information?
Visit our website or contact us at the information listed above.
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