Socially Engaged Art, in words, pictures, and sounds.....

During the month of April something I look forward to every year is happening, besides the coming of spring!  Open Engagement, a conference that looks at, discusses, theorizes and embraces socially engaged art, happening this year in Pittsburgh at Carnegie Mellon University.  This free, three day event is the most exciting, thought-provoking and uplifting event I try to attend each year. This sense of excitement lasts long into the year and becomes a resource for many of my future projects.

So this year I plan to bring the conference back to YOU!  We’ll start now with some links to last year’s event which was held at the Queens Museum in Queens, NY and one of the Key note speakers: Mierle Laderman Ukeles.   Or click here to get to the special Open Engagement page.

I am also including some links to projects started by one of this year’s key note speakers, artist Rick Lowe and Project Row houses.  Plus Conflict Kitchen, by artist Jon Rubin, a cafe that only serves food from countries that the U.S. is currently in conflict with.  While I am there I will post some new links and images on the blog as the events unfold. Plus I will record all the workshops and talks I attend for you to listen to later! Because April is quite busy with travel (visiting family early in the month and then on to Pittsburgh later,) we won’t meet again until Monday May 4, 6-7:45pm, at the Library. 

Here are two very interesting upcoming local events I plan to attend and would love to have you join me:

Thompson Giroux Gallery
Passage Path Road Route Way - an exhibition featuring artists in the early stages of their career. 57 Main Street, Chatham, NY April 25 - May 31, 2015 (opening date info to follow)

Jack Shainman Gallery
Celebrates 1 Year Anniversary of The School with an exhibition of El Anatsui Sunday, May 17, 2015 at The School, 25 Broad Street, Kinderhook, NY 

Greg Skochko with the money...this case
weighted 36 lbs!

A final note on last month's blog topic of Art and Money:  While at the Armory Art Fair with some grad school chums early March, something funny happened.  My friend Greg Skochko discovered an artist piece that addresses just this topic.  A large metal case was on display filled with ONE MILLION DOLLARS and if one put their cell number down, could win the opportunity to carry the case around the show, hand-cuffed to the case and with an escort.  The subject of how much money was moving around during the art fair was made literal.  Well, here is a snapshot of Greg hand-cuffed to the money!