A Walk for Jane and a Dash for a Difference
Comments (0) There are two upcoming scavenger hunts in Hartford. Continue reading 'A Walk for Jane and a Dash for a Difference'»
Category: Art
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Legacy of Hartford Parks
By Kerri Provost, August 27, 2010 8:31 am
The Pump House Gallery reopened its doors as an art space Thursday evening. The site has gone from a state of neglect to one that we can be proud of: the patio has been weeded, walls have been given a fresh coat of white paint, and the terribly faded sign over the entrance has been repainted. As part of The Week of the Parks, Bushnell Park had its grass mowed, shrubs removed from the front of the Pump House Gallery, branches trimmed, and benches repaired. Continue reading 'Legacy of Hartford Parks'»
Rice and Trains
By Kerri Provost, August 6, 2010 7:48 am
Elaine Gan’s Considering Rice is described by Real Art Ways as an exploration of “the entanglements of storytelling and food economy through a dynamic map of one of the world’s most significant agricultural sites.” According to the USA Rice Federation, rice is the “primary staple for more than half the world’s population.” Oddly, there is a National Rice Month, which happens to be September, the only full month that Gan’s work will be on display in Hartford.
Gan’s blog About Manila serves as a preview of the show as it contains numerous photographs of rice terraces in Manila. This exhibit will be on display at Real Art Ways (56 Arbor Street) from August 19th through October 17, 2010.
This is not the only map art project in the area. Brian Cook, a local designer, has created the Hartford Metro Map. It’s futuristic! In his imagination, Hartford not only has a metro system, but one that connects Hartford to Boston, Albany, and Manchester Community College. Cook describes his project:
The Hartford Metro map elides several of my deepest interests: maps, travel, Hartford, urban planning and graphic design. I still stumble across old notebooks with sketches of imaginary maps, Utopian cities with concentric bands zoned commercial, residential, industrial, recreational, infrastructural, etc. The urban models usually feature perfect circles with wide boulevards radiating from vibrant city centers.
[...]
To me, the biggest existing problem with Hartford’s public transit is the disconnect between the downtown area and the West End. I-84 effectively cleaves the city in half, both a physical barrier and a symbol representing the dominance of the car as the preferred method of transportation here.
If you’d like a copy of the Hartford Metro Map poster, you can pledge $25 to help fund the project on Kickstarter. After the printing costs are covered, any additional funds raised will be donated to ConnectiKids.
Burr Mall
By Kerri Provost, August 2, 2010 9:45 pm
A recent visit to City Hall ended with me relaxing in Burr Mall. I’ve lingered here before, but this is the first time since the Wadsworth Atheneum’s recent construction that I have been in the area, which means it is the first that I noticed the fencing banner facing the small park. It shows a black and white timeline of Burr Mall, including photos of when it appeared considerably different than it does today.
Burr Mall, actually the Alfred E. Burr Memorial, was named after who the New York Times referred to in 1894 as the “oldest newspaper man, by actual years of service, in New-England.” Burr worked for the Hartford Times, located across from one end of the mall.
Did you know that Burr Mall has its own website? There’s not much there, but it exists, which is something. If you take a look at this photo, you can see a fake owl on top of the Stegosaurus. My guess is that it is there to keep pigeons away.
New Life for the Pump House Gallery
By Kerri Provost, July 31, 2010 7:09 pm
The Pump House on the edge of Bushnell Park has been closed for a few years. In past incarnations, it has been a cafe and a grill, in addition to a gallery.
On August 26th, there will be an art opening at the Pump House Gallery. Before this happens, the building and grounds will need some sprucing up.
This morning, community volunteers began to remove weeds and overgrown vegetation from the patio that faces Pulaski Circle.
Inside the building, volunteers began to clean and refresh the movable canvas walls which art will be mounted on later. A more thorough clean up of the park will be happening on Thursday, August 26th during the Week of the Parks. Attending to the overgrown hedges around the Pump House is one of the items on the City’s to do list for late August. Continue reading 'New Life for the Pump House Gallery'»
Hartford Treasures on Display
By Kerri Provost, July 30, 2010 9:24 am
History nerds should stop by the third floor of the Hartford Public Library before September 30th. There is an array of materials on display, from photographs to books to old posters advertising “ponderous” events.
Among the most interesting, to me, were the photographs of famous women from Connecticut. There were also images and artifacts related to the circus fire.
Another area of interest is the display created by Hartford Prints. Hartford Public High School students selected historical photographs to interpret and link to the future. One example of this is a picture of visitors to Elizabeth Park. The interpretation is a print in which a woman’s dress has changed form to “soften” her a bit, and then her umbrella is printed in a deep pink, which has been noted as being a completely modern color.
The exhibit is free.
Sentimental about Cinema City
By Kerri Provost, July 27, 2010 6:02 am
Last week Cinema City closed at its Brainard Road location and reopened as a wing inside of the Palace 17 & Odyssey Theater complex on New Park Avenue. When Bow Tie was opening in Blue Back Square, they promised to play art films and backed out of that promise, sticking to mainstream blockbusters. There has been concern that something similar will occur to Cinema City at its new site, that the art films its known for will be phased out in favor of popular moneymakers. Most of us know this part of the story.
Homefront provides another perspective about what has been lost by the decision to close the Brainard Road cinema, as well as some photos taken on the last night it was open.
Last Chance: Steampunk Bizarre
By Kerri Provost, July 16, 2010 1:07 pm
Hartford.com writes, “It is by far the coolest exhibit you will see this summer, and if you miss it, you will be sorry.” She does not lie.
It’s hard to describe exactly, but if you are at all interested in new/old inventions, curio cabinets, or things Victorian or Sci-Fi, then you need to make it a priority to check out the Steampunk Bizarre exhibit at ArtSpace (555 Asylum Street) today. It’s free and you have until 10 pm.
Some items on display: bicycle, goggles, weapons, jewelry, skeletons, clothing, and art made from recycled objects.
Cirque de the Street
By Kerri Provost, July 2, 2010 8:57 am
Here are the ingredients for a very excellent cultural event:
- person juggling and eating fire
- great band that covers music from the last era when popular music was any good
- face painting that is less kids’ fair and more professional makeup artist
- people dressed as butterflies and other insects
- one or more individuals walking on stilts
- a unicycle
- food trucks, including The Cupcake Brake
- free food
- free wine tasting
- jugglers
- warm weather and a blocked off street
- airbrushed t-shirts
- a true range of ages, from babies to seniors
- free raffle
172 Pounds of Guns Found in the West End
By Kerri Provost, June 23, 2010 5:45 am
I recently stumbled upon one of the better uses for guns: manhole covers. You can read all about this project from the mid-90s here and here.
