Public Arts
Co-Chairs: Maarten Jacobs maarten@assisicenter.org 315.473.0952, Rick Destito (Chair of FLAP) rickdks@earthlink.net
The 40 Below Public Arts Task Force (PATF) mission is to cultivate a culture of public art in Syracuse, New York. The PATF serves as a catalyst for projects by identifying, initiating, and integrating public art throughout the city of Syracuse. It does not administer projects; rather it partners with artists and organizations and helps to provide the tools and resources needed to bring creative projects to life.
The Task Force meets the first Thursday of every month from 5:30-6:30 at the Assisi Center (800 N. Salina Street). Anyone is welcome!
PATF Mission, Goals & Objectives
Current Partnerships:
LIPE ART PARK: Syracuse's First Sculpture Park
Lipe Art Park is located in the Warehouse District along West Fayette Street near South Geddes Street. Formally an abandoned train yard, the public space became Syracuse's first art park during the spring of 2007. The park is intended to be a venue for exhibitions and performances on a rotating basis, relying on guest curators to organize, promote, and arrange each event/exhibition. In this way, various members of the community will develop a sense of ownership of the park and pride in what it represents. The park is managed by a steering committee called Friends of Lipe Art Park (FLAP). The Gear Factory, Vibrant Syracuse Spaces, (R)Evolutions Studio, SUNY ESF, Syracuse University, La Liga and other organizations have participated in exhibitions. If you or your organization is interested in curating a Lipe Art Park exhibit for 2008, please email rickdks@earthlink.net
OH SNAP!
The PATF is partnering with the Northside Mosaic for Oh Snap! The project will feature a mobile photo booth that will allow Northsiders to take photos of themselves to be displayed at an art show at the Assisi Center spring 2008. Locations for the booth will include: corner stores, bars, coffee shops, busy intersections, schools, community centers, grocery stores, and parks. For more information please contact Maarten Jacobs maarten.fcm@gmail.com and to check out the location of the booth go towww.ohsnapproject.com
PARK(ING) DAY
National PARK(ing) Day 2008 is coming up on Friday, September 19. Last year, on Friday, September 21st, the Public Arts Task Force participated in the event. PARK(ing) is performance art that utilizes juxtaposition to make us re-think how we use space in our cities. The Public Arts Task Force rented a parking spot in Armory Square on Walton Street throughout the day. Instead of using the space to store a car, the PARK(ing) spot contained grass, trees, shrubs, and a sitting space. The asphalt and concrete was converted into an urban oasis. Please email Maarten Jacobs maarten.fcm@gmail.com to participate this year and visit www.tpl.org for more information.
THE URBAN ART RANGERS
The Urban Art Rangers (UAR) is a community art force that will patrol the different neighborhoods of Syracuse in order to foster connection through the arts. Rangers will both inform residents about arts initiatives in the city, as well as engage in conversations about the role that creativity and art can play in the neighborhood. Urban Art Rangers will be given a uniform, training, information to distribute and methods in which to report back to the Public Arts Task Force about the interests of their assigned community. Small teams will be assigned a beat, where they will talk with people, share information, gather information, report to PATF and back to their neighborhoods. For more info email Joanna Spitzner at jspitzne@syr.edu
UP THE CREEK!
UP THE CREEK! is an oral history project led by artist Fereshteh Toosi that gathers stories from people living and working along Onondaga Creek. Though it is a major tributary that runs through rural, urban, and Native American lands, many central New York residents don't recognize it as a natural resource. Just as bids are finalized for a second multi-million dollar sewage plant along Onondaga Creek in downtown Syracuse, UP THE CREEK! producers are creating an audio documentary that will result in a CD and interactive sound walks along selected portions of the creek. The audio tours will be distributed free of charge starting in late spring and summer of 2008. For more information about the project or to share your story, please see http://315water.blogspot.com or email 315water@gmail.com
Past Partnerships:
THE URBAN VIDEO PROJECT (UVP): Public Projections
The Urban Video Project is an initiative spearheaded and lead by the Avalanche Collective: Blake Carrington, Collin Todd-and Christopher Gianunzio. It brings video art to the streets and buildings of Syracuse. UVP will produce a series of experimental outdoor video projections throughout the year and on each TH3. If interested please visit www.urbanvideoproject.org or email urban.video.project@gmail.com
TOTEM PROJECT: Unique Sculptures that Sleeve Over Parking Meter Posts
PATF partnered with the Cultural Resources Council, Downtown TNT, the Gifford Foundation, the City, and The Downtown Committee of Syracuse on the Totem Project. To learn more go to http://downtownsyracuse.com/static/C67
DAVID HAYES SCULPTURE INSTALLATION
The PATF came together this past spring to install the 1-year David Hayes sculpture exhibition in Downtown, Syracuse. The project was sponsored by the Cultural Resources Council, the Downtown Committee, the City of Syracuse, and Senator De Francisco. Sculptures are located at the MOST, the Everson, Columbus Circle, the park adjacent to the RedHouse and the SU Warehouse, and by City Hall Commons.
SYRACUSE PUBLIC ART TRAIL: An Interactive Map
With the use of Geographic Information Systems online viewers will be able to zoom in and out of neighborhoods and search art work by artist, type, date, or area. If interested in discovering, photographing, or researching public art in Syracuse please email Paul Mercurio at the Department of Community Development pmercurio@cdsyracuse.com
A slide show will appear here shortly.
