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Contemporary art is increasingly “untethered” and moves from the white cube of the gallery to any site – including the virtual – to engage the public in its own realm. Public art is an ever-expanding field of inquiry, with artists of all stripes exploring the public realm. Beyond murals, monuments, memorials (and the occasional mime) public art has become a vibrant and engaging practice. From the spectacular to the quotidian, permanent to ephemeral, sited to virtual, material to performative, conceptual to cinematic, we believe there are unprecedented opportunities for new art practices in our shared environment. This is the critical focus of Public Address.

Northern Spark #7 on METRO 100 list
Author
mediachef
Post
10.11.2011
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Metro magazine's Top 100 list includes Northern Spark at #7

7. Northern Spark, June 4 to 5, 2011

“Modeled after nuit blanche events in Paris and St. Petersburg, the Twin Cities’ first-ever all-night art party spanned galleries and green space on both sides of the river (it even spilled into the mighty Miss via a variety show aboard an old paddleboat). The highlight? Artist Jim Campbell’s “Scattered Light” installation at Upper Landing Park in St. Paul: hundreds of glowing glass bulbs strung together to create Northern Spark’s unofficial nightlight. We’ve been catching lots of Z’s in preparation for next summer’s citywide sleepover, which promises to be bigger and better than the first. northernspark.org“

Save the dates: July 9-10, 2012

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Irrigate
Author
mediachef
Post
10.10.2011
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Irrigate: Art happens here

Placemaking is the act of people coming together to change overlooked and undervalued public and shared spaces into welcoming places where community gathers, supports one another, and thrives. Places can be animated and enhanced by elements that encourage human interaction – from temporary activities such as performances and chalked poetry to permanent installations such as landscaping and unique art.

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“We Are Working All the Time!” Wants You
Author
mediachef
Post
10.7.2011
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If you have visited with the Empty Words (so that we can do our living) performance during the Northern Spark festival on June 4-5, chances are you have walked away with one of the “We Are Working All The Time!” posters. These posters were printed during the performance and distributed to the audience. I am writing to ask you a simple favor:

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Bruce Charlesworth: ISEA.2
Author
mediachef
Post
09.21.2011
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Hot room, Çemberlitas Hamam

I bought my ticket, a yellow plastic tab, and was given a small cardboard box. A cluster of topless Turkish men in plaid towels gestured toward one of the narrow staircases. I climbed to the second level balcony where I was ushered into a wooden cubicle. I stripped down, wrapped a towel around my waist and stepped into some plastic sandals. The attendant asked for the yellow tab, then locked the room and handed me the key.

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Prairie Fire Lady Choir at Giant Sing Along
Author
mediachef
Post
08.24.2011
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I visited the State Fair yesterday to check out Giant Sing Along, the new “interactivate” project by Mouna Andraos and Melissa Mongiat. The simple wooden structures look beautiful at the top of Murphy Ave., and the field of brightly colored microphones beckons like a cornucopia of delectable somethings on a stick. Only, instead of consuming you are making beautiful music together. The microphones are connected to a sophisticated software systems that does some melding and tuning of your voice – even mine – to each song and amplifies the sound so that even a few people can belt out a rousing chorus. Choir karaoke indeed. Check out the vid below and the playlist at the end of this post.

Giant Sing Along is open all day every day during the Minnesota State Fair, but do join us for a special performance by the Prairie Fire Lady Choir at 5 pm on Saturday, August 27.

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Hold hands with a stranger
Author
mediachef
Post
08.23.2011
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Amanda Lovelee’s Call and Answer Project was an epic success at Northern Spark.

Call and Answer at Minnesota Center for Book Arts, Northern Spark, June 4, 2011. Photo courtesy the artist.

According to Amanda,

“We reached all our goals and went far beyond. In one evening we served over 400 pieces of pie in two hours, printed 2000 books, had close to 50 amazing volunteers who did everything from bake pie, photograph, cut pie, make coffee, run a letter press, greet people at the door, read their poetry, play in the band, and call a square dance! I think about 1,500 people came through the doors of the Minnesota Center for Book Arts and at least 500 strangers held hands!!!!”

Amanda is going for it again.

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