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GAIA & NANOOK IN BUENOS AIRES
Meeting of Styles Argentina: Ghelco Factory

I’m attaching a wall that Nanook and I just finished in Buenos Aires
for Meeting of Styles Argentina on a Ghelco factory.

Field Report By GAIA

much love guys

Barracas is a barrio, or district, in the southeast part of the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is located between the railroad of Ferrocarril General Manuel Belgrano and the Riachuelo River, and the streets Regimiento de Patricios, Defensa, Caseros, Vélez Sársfield, Amancio Alcorta, Lafayette, and Lavardén. The name Barracas comes from the word barraca, which refers to a temporary construction of houses using rudimentary materials.

Argentina’s fábricas recuperadas movement, which emerged in response to Argentine’s 2001 economic crisis, is the current most significant workers’ self-management phenomenon in the world. Worker self-management (sometimes called workers’ control or autogestion) is a form of workplace decision-making in which the workers themselves agree on choices (for issues such as customer care, general production methods, scheduling, division of labour) instead of an owner or traditional supervisor telling workers what to do, how to do it and where to do it. Examples of such self-management allegedly include the Paris Commune, the Russian Revolution, the German Revolution, the Spanish Revolution, Titoist Yugoslavia, Algeria under Ahmed Ben Bella, the fábricas recuperadas movement in Argentina, the LIP factory in France in the 1970s, the Mondragón Cooperative Corporation which is the Basque Country’s largest corporation, AK Press in the United States, etc.

The Argentine economic crisis (1999–2002) was a major downturn in Argentina’s economy. It began in 1999 with a decrease of real Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The crisis caused the fall of the government, default on the country’s foreign debt, widespread unemployment, riots, the rise of alternative currencies and the end of the peso’s fixed exchange rate to the US dollar. Argentina’s many years of military dictatorship (alternating with weak, short-lived democratic governments) caused significant economic problems. During the so-called National Reorganization Process (1976–1983), the country went into debt for never-finished projects, the Falklands War, and state takeover of private debts. The Neoliberal economic platform was introduced during this period. By the end of the military government the country’s industries were severely affected—unemployment, calculated at 18% (though official figures claimed 5%), was at its highest point since the Great Depression.

Neoliberalism is a form of corporatocracy, the rule of a country by and for the benefit of large corporations. Since large corporations tend to fulfil all the conditions of a wealthy entity, they accrue many of the same benefits over smaller businesses. In addition, multinational corporations enjoy the benefits of neoimperialism on the international stage and can also move their base of operations from a country if that country pursues policies that it deems to be unfriendly to business, a threat which they provoke governments to enact upon. Although classical neoliberalism rests on the free flow of information, the neoliberal era has been marked by an unprecedented expansion of intellectual property and copyright, an expansion of libel laws to silence criticism (e.g. libel tourism) and expanding corporate secrecy (e.g. in the UK corporations used contract law to forbid discussion of salaries, thereby controlling labour costs), all of which came to be seen as a normal part of neoliberalism, but are wholly against its spirit. Finally, the fact that many media outlets are themselves part of large corporations leads to a conflict of interest between those corporations and the public good.

Gaia, a Baltimore-based street artist, whose name stands for Earth Goddess, is known for using animal imagery to convey nature’s voice in urban landscapes, often evoking a sense of mythical feedback as an omen from global warming. Other subjects include portraits of urban developers Nelson Rockefeller, Robert Moses, Henry Flagler, James Rouse, Le Corbusier and Mies van der Rohe. Gaia recently curated the multi-site mural project Open Walls Baltimore (OWB) which was scheduled to include fellow artists Maya Hayuk, Swoon, Chris Stain, MOMO, Freddy Sam, Jaz, Jetsonorama, Overunder, Vhils, Nanook, Mata Ruda, Specter, Interesni Kaski, Ever, Doodles, John Ahearn and Sten & Lex. “The carrier pigeon perched within a hand is an image that I have revisited many times in the past year. Much like the hybridized creatures I have produced in the past, this gesture displays a moment of domination and submission but also of steward and nature. Pigeons are beautiful creatures and one of the few that can tolerate the city. This print is a celebration of a dying urban sport and of an unsung animal.” – Gaia

http://posterchildprints.com/Carrier-Pigeon/
Purchase Gaia’s limited edition print “Carrier Pigeon.”
Size 22 x 28 inches, Edition Limited Edition of 135, Materials: Three Color Hand Pulled Silk Screen on Coventry Rag, 100% Cotton Archival Paper

http://www.artbma.org/press/documents/Nov_Dec.pdf
Gaia was recently commissioned by the Baltimore Museum Of Art

Open Walls Baltimore is an unparalleled street art project managed by and located in the Station North Arts & Entertainment District and curated by Gaia. The finest and most widely recognized street artists from around the world mounted an outdoor exhibition of extraordinary murals that enliven public spaces, stimulates community revitalization and national dialogue, and attracts visitors and investors to Station North with the installation of over twenty murals.

Map Of Mural Locations
Artists include: Gaia (Baltimore) – 1 W North Ave, Momo (New Orleans) – CIty Arts, 440 E Oliver St, Doodles (Port Townsend, WA) – 1539 N Calvert, Maya Hayuk (New York City) – 1715 N Charles Street, Ever (Buenos Aires, Argentina) – 10 E North Avenue, Overunder (Reno, NV) – 329 E Lafayette Street, John Ahearn (New York City) – Installation at Station North Arts Cafe, Specter (Montreal) – Joe Squared (North Avenue and Howard), Mata Ruda (Baltimore) – 1700 Latrobe, Josh Van Horn (Baltimore) – Guilford and North Avenue, Jessie Unterhalter & Katey Truhn (Baltimore) – St Paul St at Lafayette Ave, Freddy Sam (Capetown, South Africa) – Lafayette Ave at Charles St, Intersni Kazki (Kiev, Ukraine) – Complete (Maryland Ave at North Ave), Gary Kachadourian (Baltimore) – Barclay St at Lanvale Street, St Paul and North Avenue, Chris Stain (New York City) – 1701 Latrobe, Jetsonorama (New York City) – Barclay and Bowen Alley, Swoon (New York City) – Pittman Place, Sten and Lex (Italy) – Barclay and McAllister, Nanook (Baltimore) – Barclay and Lanvale, Jaz (Buenos Aires, Argentina) – Barclay St at E Oliver St, Vhils (Portugal) – 1539 N Calvert St

Leah Poller At 16th Annual
Shanghai Art Fair
November 2012

Shanghai Art Fair Entrance, 2012

Leah Poller

Dateline: Shanghai, November 6, 2012

A confetti strewn red carpet and the appropriate official lineup of government dignitaries ushered in the 16^th Annual International Shanghai Art Fair (October 31-November 4, 2012) at the Shanghai Mart. A slowdown in the general economy, coupled with a recent crackdown on illicit valuations of art acquisitions on tax declarations may have dampened the marketplace, but from my perspective as a newcomer to the fair, it looked surprisingly healthy, with over 50 000 visitors. For established Asian artists, selling works 6 to 10 deep was considered business as usual on opening night, with a clear disparity in the lesser fortunes of “new to fair”,  “new to Asia” and foreign talents who waited for the final hours to tally up their success.

Opening Ceremonies of the 16^th Annual International Shanghai Art Fair
(October 31-November 4, 2012) at the Shanghai Mart

The big question to ask as an artist: Is this fair for me, or not?

First, the monumental scale of the country and its massive population is singular. Everything comparable feels smaller in comparison. Like the city map, where 1/2 inch = an hour trot at a brisk pace, the 4 x 4 inch program for the Shanghai Art Fair is a marvel of small print that barely suggests the participation of approximately 160 exhibitors and thousands of square meters of exhibition space. The Fair is divided into 4 categories on 4 floors: top tier/international, ancient/ceramic arts, emerging Chinese artists (government supported), and finally, the international/mixed/mid range, where, if you are reading this article, you most probably would be.

Attendance both at the opening and during each successive day was non-stop and voluminous. Well dressed and well heeled (I love those outrageous shoe fashions!), the burgeoning middle and upper class audience exhibited interest and patience in studying works up close.   Shanghai shutterbugs – with the latest in obviously expensive photographic “neckwear”, incessantly took pictures.  One of my sculptures attracted a snapshot almost every 3 minutes.  More time is spent saying, “No pictures, please” than “Are you interested in knowing more about this work?”

In fact, the language barrier is the over-arching challenge. I found the inability to communicate, to translate ideas and values from one language to another, or to find a common ground on which to base an exchange of ideas or understandings quite painful. The vast majority does not speak English, plain and simple.  A non-familiar iconography (abstraction, non-Asian subject matter, or contemporary Western style expression) is as much a challenge in visual translation as is the challenge of a linguistic translation.

Less than 1% of the visitors speak any English at all – repeat – any at all …so what you show… is what you show.  No marketing embellishment, no glorious track records at auction, no taglines of enriching stories will help raise the level of engagement unless you have a highly qualified, Chinese origin, multi-lingual, art aficionado translator/sales person (a rarity).

Shanghai Art fair : Large Scale sculpture display

Add the inscrutable faces and there is not much you can do except wait to be approached with earnest interest. There is no note taking, no sign of desire and yet, come the weekend, the serious bargaining on second round visits is guaranteed. Work sells, consistently, surprisingly, and most non-Asian participants have no way to predict what works, what doesn’t.  Corinna Steiner (Steiner Gallery, Vienna) said ”there was no way of knowing or predicting that a 25 year old visitor would select a work for $25 000 without any commentary.” With a final tally of $20 000 000/US in sales, this was undoubtedly happening often.

Without question, no matter what the origin of the artist, themes or references,  leaning towards Asian sensitivities and cultural roots will help bridge the gap. The Chinese know their culture deeply and well. (Ex. Of the 7 sculptures I selected to exhibit, 4 had specific Asian references, 3 did not. The former were photographed constantly, and received enthusiastic smiles and “2 thumbs up”, while the latter were received indifferently).

Though the fair is international (45 galleries were foreign), the overwhelming presence is of galleries that are Chinese, or of mixed Asian/foreign ownership, or located elsewhere in Asia.  Amongst the 200 exhibiting artists, about 90% were Asian or working in Asia, and the audience was visibly Asian. Sandy’s agitation of travel on the Eastern seaboard may have impacted the US presence of museums, critics, or galleries looking for exportable talent  (apparently they flock to the Beijing fair) – but there was no way from my vantage point to confirm this. Do I believe they should be there…yes, and they will come. What is going on at the Shanghai Art Fair will gain ground so rapidly that heads will spin as this amazing marketplace (24 million inhabitants in Shanghai alone) joins the list of “must see” fairs for the global aficionados.

Rumor has it that Art Basel is in negotiations to purchase Shanghai Art. I trust they have crunched the numbers, even if the works offered fall far short of today’s international standard. And if this happens by next year (things move fast), then a replica of Beijing’s fair won’t be far behind.  Discounting the free pass distribution to students and retirees (non buyers), the proportion of able buyers once again is not to be underestimated.

Overall, the artistic content reminds me of the early art fairs in the US. Safe, traditional paintings:  still-life, landscapes, animals, and classic realism. For sculpture, figurines, oversized fruits or abstract drippy metal sculptures abound, while cutting edge, video, installation or avant-garde work just isn’t to be seen. That said, it wouldn’t be long till the full gamut of contemporary Western art is covered. Whoever risks getting into this burgeoning marketplace, with what chance for success, and at what cost, can be as arbitrary as the risk of participating in any other fair in the world. Except, “too late” may be just around the corner (Art Basel would assure that outcome).

Shanghart Gallery, Morgenshan Gallery District : Shanghai art fair – (most avant garde work)

The Asian artist Boun, the multilingual, multi-cultural nephew of a renowned Chinese artist, was decked out as a rare bird of paradise in rainbow allure, double rimmed, square, yellow spectacles and a plumed hat (the only “artsy” outfit I saw). Boun  has done 9 successive Shanghai Art fairs. He has no problem selling expensive artwork at 10 – 15 pieces at a clip. Possessing the language, the culture, a leg up with business smarts, he was paired with Argentinean sculptor Beatriz Gerenstein (now based out of Miami) and once again, had blockbuster success  “according to my own terms now”, Boun states. For Gerenstein  “reaching the human emotion transcends the barriers of language”, and credits her success to the intuitive ability of the Chinese to recognize the authentic and sincere.

Dan Gerbo, a newcomer to Shanghai Art but otherwise a successful French entrepreneur with years of Asian business experience is taking a shot as a self- represented artist, who nonetheless felt abused by paying heftier transport costs from Shanghai to the Fair then from Paris to Shanghai. His work, totally outside the acceptable vernacular (nudes, geometric sculptures) is hoping for a pleasant surprise.

Denis Ribas, a type – A personality from the South of France, has traveled extensively with his art throughout Asia,  and has sold more than 1800 paintings, since his beginning “on a lark” with the  Hong Kong Artfair in 2000. He offers Raoul Dufy style, colorful familiar scenes with thick impasto and plenty of bravura.

Shanghai’s Purple Roof Gallery, founded by the mundane Peter Zhao is probably the rock star gallery of the Fair. Politically wired to the point of masterminding Jing’An, the first public, municipally financed international sculpture garden in Shanghai, Zhao has brought together a roster of world-class participants in the first inaugural event, soon to be followed by Part II. His next destination: Art Basel Miami to “shop for new artists.”

Julia Mao, director of the Jing’An project, who confides that it took enormous expense, effort and unimaginable collaboration in dealing with vetting by government committee, was not familiar with the US 1% program, but did mention that “plop” art in China is described as “the flower blossom that adorns the gravy portion of most traditional Chinese dishes.” Unquestionably, they are poised for the next big gesture in bringing international art to the Chinese public.

So how do you, as an artist, weigh the pros and cons of playing the Chinese card? It might depend on what you already have in your hand. First, don’t expect collaboration with other artists; it’s every man for himself here.  Second, as a foreigner, you will fare better with a gallery representing mixed nationalities or with a geographic presence at home and in Asia. If you hit the lotto, you will hit it big. And what goes on here may not even matter to your home audience. You will get to travel far, learn a new culture, and grope your way through the new and under-explored to unearth the universal in your work. Not a path for the weak, fool hardy or short of vision dilettante.

Leah Poller - “Bed Pillow,” from the 101 Bed Collection, exhibited Shanghai Art Fair, 2012

The end result of venturing so far from home can be an unexpected combo of possibilities, which I experienced myself as a first time participant in the Shanghai Art Fair. It included front page billing in the catalogue, 2 major video interviews, thousands of photos of my work in circulation, a deepening relationship with my gallery, a financially advantageous relationship with a foundry capable of enlarging work to meet the demand expressed at the fair (represented in the US by a Rhode Islander who has been in Asia for 20 years), discussions of possible exhibitions in Chengdu, France, Shanghai, and Hong Kong,  including the  execution of a large scale work, and potential sponsorship for a public project.

Now the task is mine to bring these opportunities to fruition, and if I do, it will surpass anything offered to me Stateside…confirming that the definition of a genius is someone of talent far from home. Four days and possibly a life-changing moment…or not. There is something to be said for becoming the “rare-bird”, alighting in someone else’s far away garden. The hard work is only just beginning.

Leah Poller was born in Pennsylvania. She received classical training in sculpture at the prestigious Ecole Nationale Superieure de Beaux Arts, in Paris, France where she resided for 20 years.  Partaking of a rich, multi-cultural environment, Poller interacted with foremost members of the international arts communities of France, Spain, Italy, Mexico and Latin America, through her art and from her collaboration on the facsimile re-edition of the major Twentieth Century Art Publications (Revolution Surrealiste, Dada, Cercle et Carre, Cobra, etc.).  Returning to the United States in 1992, she established her studio in Soho and began the  “The 101 Bed Collection” which has been exhibited in galleries and institutions in Europe, Mexico, Asia and throughout the United States. Her figurative work, notably ‘Women Warriors” and the newest series “Sung Heroes” unites the classical and the surreal with a uniquely modern reinvention of the portrait.    She has been featured on CNN, Fox Television and in numerous art publications.   She has lectured extensively and held workshops on creativity. In 2002, she was named Director of “Intercambios de Arte y Cultural Internacionale”, a Mexican/American association furthering cultural exchanges between the Americas and spearheading the restoration of a major twentieth century mural from 1935, recently discovered to be the work of Philip Guston. Poller lives and works in Harlem. www.leahpoller.com

The “101 BED COLLECTION” is a conceptual “oeuvre” of inter-related sculptures referencing common words with “bed” in them. While baroque, multi-layered and dense when examined individually, with each work acting as a mental jog to provoke an examination of our relationship to the bed, the whole is a provocative statement of “presence” of a largely ignored subject of intimacy and personal identification in the human landscape. Aesthetically connected to Judy Chicago’s “Dinner Party” by virtue of the complexity of its components, Poller’s “101 Bed Collection” is nonetheless an ambitious representation by a single artist. Triggered by an accident in her studio from which Poller was relegated to bed for an extended period of time, she began an extensive study of the bed in all its historic, cultural, aesthetic, visual, literary and narrative forms. While observing that more than a third of our lives are spent in bed, Poller is the rare artist to examine this icon extensively through a multi-faceted work of art, a 3 dimensional  expression of her sense of humor, pathos, whimsy, sarcasm, tragedy and passion. Poller has invited a viral audience into a very personal theater of shared intimacy by creating the UNMADE BED PROJECT, a collection of photographs of unmade beds posted anonymously online from around the world, constituting the first  anthropological/sociologic vision of this otherwise off limits and “absent” space (www.unmadebedproject.com).

Art Wins At ARTLANTIC: WONDER
The Art Of Survival Through The Survival Of Art

Joshua Selman

I read the news today.. and despite all odds, and an 800 mile wide superstorm, this special week teaches me much about artists, communities and the art of survival through the survival of art.

On November 9th, in Atlantic City, an amazing connection between people from distant points is re-affirmed, in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, when five internationally recognized artists make their way to one of Sandy’s hardest hit sites on the east coast, the Atlantic City Boardwalk, in a show of solidarity with the local community. Together, Robert Barry, Ilya & Emilia Kabakov, John Roloff and Kiki Smith meet with the Atlantic City Alliance, local artists, architects, designers, labor unions, landscapers, local businesses and business associations, city agencies, universities, public schools, their teachers and others out of collective celebrations and concern for Atlantic City’s shared cultural asset and public art project, ARTLANTIC.

Despite the facts and the hardships wrought by Hurricane Sandy, the outpouring of unity over the public art project to transform large, underused parcels of land into public art spaces that will be available for the local community and visitors to enjoy year-round, showed astounding resilience. Hundreds of inquiries about the fate of the works and workers have come roaring in from Artlantic’s local communities, many themselves experiencing hardship, or temporarily displaced. Nor did the storm spare the international artists. Kiki Smith’s studio was flooded. Robert Barry lost power and had to relocate to his son’s house. Ilya and Emilia Kabakov live in Long Island and were without power and unable to get any gas for their car. John Roloff, who is flying in from California, had to watch from the West Coast as the superstorm tried unsuccessfully to degrade his entire work.

“With my return to Atlantic City following Hurricane Sandy, I feel an even stronger need to give back to this city than ever before.  Despite the fact that the Tourism District appears as if a storm never passed, one can feel a heaviness in the community. Homes were damaged and many lives were displaced by the storm. However, it never ceases to amaze me that despite this catastrophe, many neighbors, friends and strangers alike have approached me.  Their hopes that the art parks were unscathed and the notion of using them when the weather warms is reassuring. They are glad that a vacant lot is being turned into a free open space that will have a positive impact on this city.

I hope that as we all heal and recover, these new public spaces grow and help nourish all visitors and that they experience a new kind of community spirit in Atlantic City.” —Lance Fung November 2012

Aerial view of John Roloff’s elaborate illusionistic space, Étude Atlantis, on an 8,500 square-foot site.

Simply put, the survival of the works in Atlantic City, which is so eloquently detailed in this week’s New York Times Art & Design section (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/05/arts/design/artlantic-weathers-hurricane-in-atlantic-city.html), is emblematic of the strength of community in the face of the super threat, the superstorm, the super PAC and all kinds of distortions and outside pressures which, without value placed on our societies, leads to careless projects of human warehousing in place of the amazingly positive effects art seems to have on communal well being.

“With each project, new and exciting opportunities arise. I try to have contingency plans for unpleasant surprises, but I am always caught off guard by the positive ones. I never expected that by working in Atlantic City, I would find a renewed sense of purpose and inspiration. It seems as if the stars have aligned for ARTLANTIC: WONDER. Local artists and groups, business leaders, government officials, the school system, and the trade unions have all done their part to make this project succeed. I imagine that they, too, see the need to transform empty lots into beautiful, living public spaces though art and architecture. I foresee many activities taking place in the Artlantic spaces, but more importantly, I hope to see the emergence of a greater sense of community. Working in Atlantic City, we have met many wonderful people who see this collective action as a catalyst. There is almost a sense of euphoria when someone offers ideas or volunteers. I hope that Artlantic illustrates how great art goes beyond the gallery, museum, or auction house. It must begin in the heart and remain there to truly transform people through experience.” —Lance Fung November 2012

John Roloff’s elaborate illusionistic space, Étude Atlantis, under construction in Atlantic City
photo: Peter Tobia

Though the 5 year public art project was announced only last June, in this special congress, the preview on November 9^th (affectionately referred to as the “Sneak Peak”) the central medium is the artists meeting. Yet, the odds on having a preview of this ambitious project, by November 9^th, were nearly impossible, even without the superstorm.

In five month’s time the collectivity has achieved something massive. The Barry, Kabakov and Smith installation is on a seven-acre site that will have two open spaces with two sculptures walled by 14-foot-high undulating terraces covered in indigenous grasses and wildflowers. Today, the Kabakovs are recognized among the most important Russian artists to have emerged in the late 20th century. The Kabokov sculpture is a large, plywood pirate ship. The half-submerged ship is at the center of ARTLANTIC: WONDER. Opposite the ship is a life-sized version of “Her,” a self-portrait in bronze by Kiki Smith surrounded by a red-themed garden. “Her” depicts a woman tenderly embracing a doe and alludes to an embrace between humanity and the natural world. Embedded in the landscape surrounding both open spaces is Robert Barry’s illuminated text piece in a landscape design by New York-based Balmori Associates. Robert Barry is a conceptual artist whose work is concerned with the immaterial nature of ideas. He is best known for “Carrier Wave,” in which he used the carrier waves of a radio station as an object. His illuminated text piece will be embedded in a grass mound that mirrors the roller coaster on the Steel Pier. Mr. Barry has connections to Teaneck, New Jersey.

In five month’s time the collectivity has achieved something massive.
The Barry, Kabakov and Smith installation is on a seven-acre site

John Roloff is known primarily for his outdoor kiln/furnace projects done from the late 1970’s to the early 1990’s as well as other large-scale environmental and gallery installations investigating geologic and natural phenomena. His work, Étude Atlantis, on an 8,500 square-foot site, is an elaborate illusionistic space. Bold linear stripes converge into a spiral pattern that leads to the center of the space, where an embedded cistern appears to be alive and weeping suggesting a pathway into the Indian Ocean. He hopes to create a reciprocal piece in Australia completing the link between the two works and the two hemispheres. The landscape design is by Philadelphia-based Cairone & Kaupp, Inc.

If not for the human connection behind these works, the project would have been seen as wild eyed. However, the numerous inputs by, from and for the local community have created a welcoming context for the ambitious project.

ARTLANTIC: WONDER is the first curated public art installation that will open on the Atlantic City boardwalk at two different sites as part of the five-year, multi-phase public art installation that is being undertaken as part of a partnership between the Atlantic City Alliance (ACA), the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) and Lance Fung of Fung Collaboratives. It will promote positive social interaction by creating unique public spaces where families, tourists, and members of the local community can come together in playful and imaginative ways while adding quiet, green spaces in a city where there are very few.

The Kabakovs’ half-submerged ship is at the center of ARTLANTIC: WONDER under constuction
photo: Peter Tobia

Miss Audrey, President of The Atlantic City Business and Community Association (ACBCA) offers the following statement with regard to a presentation in Atlantic City by Fung Collaboratives: “I always visualize the world belonging to everybody, not just people who are sitting at the top. We all dream and we look out here and we see empty space and what we could do with these empty spaces and here he (Lance Fung) comes along with his vision which he’s already been all over the world doing. So I think it’s a wonderful thing. It gives hope to the residents to be part of something. Artists come into an urban city and what they see is different from what is normally seen. That’s the artist’s eye, now you can transform that.”

M.K. Thomas, Chairman of the Arts Commission, offers his community point of view: “During their presentation they brought everyone in the community together and people were there from all levels. Fung Collaboratives saw the necessity to bring us in on this. I’m involved with the Arts Commission, but I’m also part of the ACBCA which is a grassroots organization.

I am the Economic Development Advisor of the ACBCA. Rutgers recently did a 6 year study and they identified how the arts in economic development are one of the latest trends to revitalize community. They called it creative placemaking. Once we get the community, business leaders, city government and the children in the schools involved that’s going to have an impact towards tourism and a happy community.  So I think it’s a good thing for Fung Collaboratives to identify with the community and to realize that we are a stakeholder.

When you bring together artists like John Roloff with the participation of resident arts people this will bring them back to the site, because they have something to do with it. It will do wonders for this city.”

Visit ARTLANTIC’s website at http://artlanticblog.com to enjoy unbelievable slide shows, videos, make contact, meet the community, watch live web-cam feeds and learn more about this fantastic project. The conversation also continues on Facebook at http://facebook.com/fungcollaboratives get updates without leaving Facebook by clicking the LIKE button. To find out more about the Curator, Lance Fung, and about past projects with Fung Collaboratives go to http://fungcollaboratives.org

About Lance Fung
Curator Lance Fung has a reputation for ambitious, innovative approaches to public art. He is perhaps best known for The Snow Show, a series of exhibitions that teamed world-renowned artists with cutting-edge architects to design ephemeral, large-scale installations from ice and snow in Lapland, Finland in 2004 and then at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. Following the The Snow Show, Fung curated Lucky Number Seven for the seventh SITE Santa Fe International Biennial in 2008 and Wonderland, a public art exhibition in San Francisco in 2009. He has created important exhibitions such as Crossing Parallels at the SSamzi Space in Seoul, Korea; Going Home at the Edward Hopper Historical Museum in Nyack, New York; Revisiting Gordon Matta-Clark at Next: The Venice Architectural Biennale in Venice, Italy; The Ship of Tolerance by Ilya and Emilia Kabakov, in Siwa, Egypt; and The Snow Show: Venice at the 50th International Art Exhibition/La Biennale di Venezia; and Dreams and Conflicts–The Viewer’s Dictatorship, in Venice, Italy. Fung is also developing a cultural village in Bali as well as “Sink,” an exhibition about marine conservation.

About The Atlantic City Alliance (ACA)
The ACA is a recently established New Jersey not-for-profit corporation whose primary mission is to develop and implement a full-scale, broad-based, multi-year marketing program for Atlantic City. The ACA will work with the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) to market and promote the Atlantic City Tourism District via a public/private partnership. The ACA also works with local and state government, the private sector and other organizations to further enhance the marketing program. Visit www.doatlanticcity.com About The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) Established in 1984 by the State of New Jersey, the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority provides capital investment funds for economic development and community projects that respond to the changing economic and social needs of Atlantic City and the State of New Jersey. It encourages business development and permanent job creation, promotes opportunities for business expansion, and commits to facilitating a vibrant economic investment and employment environment for New Jersey. Visit http://www.njcrda.com

Press Contacts
Dan Schwartz/Michelle DiLello
Susan Grant Lewin Associates 212/947-4557
dan at susangrantlewin.com
michelle at susangrantlewin.com