Local art fills vacant Wellesley storefronts

http://www.wickedlocal.com/wellesley/news/business/x2128795977/Local-art-fills-vacant-Wellesley-storefronts#axzz1f1MnTUE9

Three-Dimensional Design at former Neena's

This installation features the work of Wellesley College students exploring sculpture and 3-D design with Visiting Assistant Professor, Andy Mowbray.

Altering the size and scale of an everyday object by making it larger or smaller changes how we perceive it, how it functions or doesn’t, and how we relate to it in the physical world. We can categorize objects into different groups of scale, such as small hand held objects, figurative or human sized objects, monumental objects and architectural sized objects. The way we relate to objects obviously changes depending on their scale and size. 

Elena Bowen '13

Emily Darling '12

Ashira Eve Gendelman '13

Nicholas Monje '13

Chiara  Montinola '13

Xinhong Qiu '14

Rebecca  Spilecki '14

Allison Stocks '13

Hannah  Van der Eb '14

This exhibit is made possible by Linear Retail

Under Construction at former Neena's

The vacant windows at the former Neena's (93 Central Street) went "under construction" on November 8, 2011 with the cooperation of property owner Linear Retail and community artists. The artists are Wellesley College students who are studying three-dimensional design with Visiting Assistant Professor, Andy Mowbray. More photos and information about the exhibit are coming soon!

Joyful Cow Installation at former Betsy's

On November 1, 2011 seven acrylic paintings were installed in the vacant windows at the former Betsy's (100 Central Street). The paintings were done by 9-12 year old students taking Painting & Drawing class at the Wellesley Recreation Department.

This collaboration was made possible with the cooperation of property owner Linear Retail, student artists, instructor D'Ann Hansen and community volunteers. Diana Podaski of Linear Retail was on-site for the installation.
 

The subject was inspired by the work of German artist, Franz Marc. His painting, Yellow Cow, done 100 years ago is his most joyous animal painting. Marc's work was characterized by the use of exuberant color and often depicted powerful emotional states.

Franz Marc, Yellow Cow, 1911

Students were asked to study Marc's work and do their own interpretation. 

Viewers are asked "Where would your joyful cow be?"

Prehistoricow

Emma Goldenthal

Age 12

Space Cow

Sarah Manse

Age 12

Candy Cow

Ryan Sciera

Age 10

Nowhere

Becca Manse

Age 12

Gertrude

Julia Clapham

Age 12

The Really Moist Hamburger

Charlotte Clapham

Age 12

Ferdinad

Tess Goldenthal

Age 9

Instructor D'Ann Hansen (center) with volunteers Hera McManus (left) and Laura Fragasso (right)

Exhibit from Wellesley College at former Rugged Bear (34 Central Street)

This exhibit is made possible by Retail property owner Edens & Avant along with the support of the artists, Kelley Tialiou, Curatorial Assistant and Tour Coordinator, Davis Museum and Phyllis McGibbon, Professor of Studio Art and co-director of the Architecture program at Wellesley College.

The dresses were designed by Wellesley College students, inspired by the work of contemporary Ghanaian artist El Anatsui, who is best known for his sculptural pieces made of discarded metal bottle tops.

Viewers are asked "What meaning might the materials selected by these designers hold?"

THE DAVIS DESIGN CONTEST

The Davis Design Contest features the work of Wellesley student designers responding to the exhibition, El Anatsui: When I Last Wrote To You About Africa, on view at the Davis from March 30 to June 26, 2011.

Anatsui often draws inspiration from the traditional kente cloth of the Akan peoples of West Africa. In turn, Anatsui’s cloth-like works inspired our designers to create garments.

Like Anatusi, these designers have reused old materials— from computer parts to advertisements and bridal gowns— in surprising ways.

These projects are also informed by the artists’ lives and individual contexts, just as Anatsui’s work is deeply concerned with Africa’s history, challenges, and peoples. Each designer describes her work in her own words through the label that accompanies her design.

People voted for their favorite design in the contest by visiting the ballot box at the information desk. The top three designers were announced and awarded at the end of April 2011.

The Davis Design Contest was conceived during the Fall 2010 Museum Issues Seminar at Wellesley College, taught by Prof. Lisa Fischman, Ruth Gordon Shapiro ’37 Director of the Davis Museum.

It has been brought to fruition through the efforts of á la mode, Wellesley’s premiere fashion organization; Hey, Madeline, Wellesley’s only fashion magazine; the SCOOP, Wellesley’s sustainability co-operative; with major support of the Davis; the sponsorship of the Student Organization Funding Committee and the Committee on Lectures and Cultural Events; and, of course, the student designers.  

Marjorie Cantine ’13
Contest Coordinator

Far right

Katherine Scafuri ’11          

Untitled

plexiglass and vellum scraps from architectural modeling projects, fabric

The organic, flexible nature of draping informs the design. The waves of the draping are punctured by the stiff plexi-glass to form a living dynamism in tribute to El Anatsui's aesthetic. 

Far Right

Pooja Reddy ’14       

Polarity          

plastic bags, recycled paper, used tablecloths, curtains, and belts         

The tight "bondage" bodice and the loose "freedom" grasslands skirt are juxtaposed to show a struggle between Western influence and African tradition.   

Middle

Nancy H. Welsh ’12  

Untitled          

recycled t-shirt and paper, table tents, glue, elastic

My goal was to create a sculptural garment that allowed the table tents, which are folded cards used to advertise campus events, to articulate themselves. The garment plays with the traditional draping of kente cloth and uses specific table tents to make a statement on gender politics.

Laura Salazar Altobelli ’12  

I wish the mannequin would move

used stockings, red string, copper wire, plexi-glass (originally from a construction site)

Mission: to explore the form of the body, interpreting it as an architectural site model.

In developing the representation of garment, the human body stimulates powerful inquiries in movement and stasis that may be articulated through the structural flexibility of material, its opacity and refraction.

Constance M. Yee ’11

The Things We Bought

jersey, used cigarettes, cardboard boxes, soda bottles, plastic bags, newspaper, and food wrappers

A hand-sewn triangulation of consumer culture, environment, and self-hood.

Far Left

Tricia Lu ’14

le trésor

aluminum cans, fabric from old clothing

El Anatsui’s metallic tapestries and his use of Adrinkra symbols in his artwork inspired this dress. I created this dress from aluminum cans, incorporating the Adrinka symbol “Aya,” which represents endurance and resourcefulness, characteristics of sustainability.

Abigail G. Hansen ’11

Media Machine Queen

recycled fashion newspapers, society pages, tabloids; garbage bags; PVA glue

One day you're on top of the world. The next, you find yourself at the bottom of a trash heap. Who are you? You are a celebrity who has been both built up and discarded by the almighty Media Machine. You have seen your face light up the magazine covers of every newsstand in the city, but you have also seen your face get rained on, stomped on by muddy galoshes and sucked down the gutter. If you’re a celebrity whose fame is perhaps slightly past its shelf life or even built on nothing but garbage in the first place, the trick is to look good as you rot. Then perhaps no one will notice your stench as you decay into yesterday's news.

Far Left

Elle Wibisono ’13

Batik Baru 

aluminum candle holders, food wrappers, soda cans, soda caps, hot wax, dye, fabric (cotton and silk), sequins 

This dress was made with the traditional Indonesian batik process, which uses hot wax and dye to create color and patterns on cloth. The rebirth and redefinition of batik by using recycled materials is a bold proof of my statement: Traditional is not at all primitive.

Far Right

Rebecca Ely ’13

thrifted shirts and found objects

Sustainability should be practical, affordable, and fun; so should fashion.  Here stands the fusion of possible and potential.

A resident artist volunteer helps load at the Davis Museum, Wellesley College

Introducing Wellesley’s Community Art Project

A collaboration between community artists, retail property owners and the Town of Wellesley.

For more information or to get involved contact WellesleyCAP@gmail.com

http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/wellesley/2011/11/wellesley_resident_looking_to.html?camp=localsearch:on:twit:HLwellesley

wellesley.patch.com/articles/what-s-in-that-wellesley-square-window
 
www.theswellesleyreport.com/.../livening-up-empty-wellesley-square