A.G.A.S.T. (Annual Gowanus Artists Studio Tour) occurs the weekend of October 17-18 and we encourage you peek in and meet meet face-to-face with some local photographers, drawers, printmakers, sculptors, painters, etc. in their own working studio environment after you’ve taken in the magic on the rooftops. Many artist studios are located within some of the very industrial buildings, garages, brownstones and warehouses along the Gowanus Canal whose rooftops obscureterrain will be occupying.

This experience of encountering the creative work of artists both inside and outside these buildings of Gowanus – in intimate and public spaces – acutely addresses the temporal and spacial dimensions of artistic processes, as well as the manifold fields, levels and conditions through which the metropolis in which we live provides possibilities for interaction, reflection, the unexpected, and most of all Magic.

Last Saturday I helped obscureterrain present its project at Funding Emerging Art with Sustainable Tactics (FEAST) at Monsignor McGolrick Park in Greenpoint.  FEAST is a recurring public dinner designed to use community-driven financial support to democratically fund new and emerging art makers.

Alongside Nicole, I got to discuss the idea with other community artists participating in FEAST, art devotees and passers-by.  I was struck by how many people really connected with the idea, and seemed to enjoy imagining it with me.  Here are some bits of what I and they said:

40 artists or art collectives will appear in a multi-rooftop spectacle visible from the F and G trains where they come above ground between 4th ave and Carrol St stations

2-7pm October 17th

teenage salsa dancers, poetry installations, weather balloons, human rubber amoebas, circus performers, musicians, dancers, sculptors, spectators…

it’s magic…

I often look out the window of the train when it comes above ground, wondering if I’ll see something special…

I already won’t look at that space the same way…

part of this idea is to build community by requiring artists to reach out to their neighbors, landlords, and businesses, present this idea and negotiate their ways onto the rooftops…

community members are invited to participate…  as artists, spectators or by helping make other rooftop connections beyond their own…

you should do this in other spaces…  I can imagine other spaces that would be perfect for something like this…

Here’s a little slideshow I threw together of the photos I took at the event…

The idea of transforming a public space through community art and magic reminds me of an inspiring project I heard about when visiting Detroit recently, where artist Tyree Guyton transformed a rough block through art in the spirit of community-building:

See all photos tagged "obscureterrain" on Flickr

This image is from an informational meeting we held on Aug. 6 where many of the artists participating in obscureterrain got to know eachother.  Some fruitful discussions were had, some complicated questions asked.  Thanks to all who came.  I, for one, had a great time.  Stay tuned for the meeting minutes and pdfs of all the documents that were handed out.

Gowanus, Brooklyn, NY

October 17, 2009|2-7pm