Sunday, June 7, 2009

Combat Paper Project Fundraising


The Combat Paper Project is coming to Minnesota Center for Book Arts in Minneapolis September 21-27 with many opportunities for local veterans to participate. Veterans are invited to pulp their uniforms, create paper, printed images and expressive writing. The workshops,presented by veterans for veterans, are a powerful antidote to the damaging silence surrounding their personal and shared experiences. Inserted below is the official fundraising letter from MCBA. Any help, however small, would be appreciated.

Dear Friends of Peace and of the Arts:

In September of this year, Minnesota Center for Book Arts (MCBA) and the Susan Hensel Gallery will host The Combat Paper Project for a week-long residency in MCBA’s studios. This unique project, based out of Green Door Studio in Burlington, Vermont, is made possible by a multifaceted collaboration between artists, art collectors, non-profit centers and military combat veterans. Through papermaking workshops, local veterans are given the opportunity to use uniforms worn in combat to create cathartic works of art. The uniforms are cut up, beat and formed into sheets of paper. Later, text and imagery created by veterans are printed on the sheets. The goal is to use art to help individuals reconcile their personal experiences and challenge traditional narratives surrounding service, honor and military culture.


I write today to ask for your help in supporting this endeavor – specifically the project’s residency in the Twin Cities. There are two ways you can help. The first is financially. We need to raise $2,500 to fund this important residency. Any amount you can give to support the project’s local visit and week of free public programming will be greatly appreciated. The second involves publicizing events and programming associated with Combat Paper’s residency at MCBA. If you are able to help in either way, please contact me at your soonest convenience. While we have many resources at our disposal, we need additional community support to make this ambitious endeavor a reality.

It is hoped that this collaboration between civilians and veterans will raise community awareness and stimulate conversations regarding our responsibilities to returned veterans and the dehumanizing effects of warfare. For more information about The Combat Paper Project, you may visit www.combatpaper.org. For more information about MCBA and the Susan Hensel Gallery, visit www.mnbookarts.org and www.susanhenselgallery.com. If you have further questions, I would be happy to talk or meet with you. My contact information is provided below.


I look forward to hearing from you and thank you in advance for your assistance.

Sincerely,

Jeff Rathermel
MCBA Artistic Director
612-215-2526
jrathermel@mnbookarts.org

Friday, June 5, 2009

Emily's Windows!


Emily Hertle is a lovely young woman who is graduating from Perpich High School ( the arts high school) today and will be attending the College of Visual Arts in the Fall. She came over before the graduation ceremonies to install her window.

Do drive or walk by. It is lovely.


Artist Statement
Emily Hertle



While making garments I became aware of a pattern among my work, and
would describe my ideas as having three levels: the material, the
garments relationship with the body, and documentation. While
preparing for this show I developed a goal of looking at the world
through an artistic lens. I recently took that into a literal sense
and picked up a camera. I decided to direct a photo shoot for each
garment, To do this I brought together two friends to do modeling
and makeup. The pictures taken then became the background, all of the
sites are on the PCAE campus and either reflect inspiration or the
material used in the garment.

Natural Skin
Japanese rice paper, cattails

Oak Leaves Refined
Dyed abaca

Drink the Rainbow
Plastic drinking straws and wrappers, tulle

Monday, June 1, 2009

A movie of Communion


Eric Buenger made a movie of COMMUNION. Click this link and you will find it on his website! It is lovely.

Jon in the Venice Biennale!



I just received an email from Jon Coffelt who had the show COMMUNION here in the gallery. A piece of cyberspace art that he collaborated on has been accepted in the Venice Biennale http://biennale.net/ in the Padiglione Pavilion. http://padiglioneinternet.com/

Jon says,
""Wikipedia Art" http://wikipediaart.org/ and http://wikipediaart.org/brief-history/ originators Nathaniel Stern and Scott Kildall conceived the project and Brian Sherwin, Patrick Lichty and myself worked through the specifics of how this would work on Wikipedia. I published the original piece on Wikipedia for the guys and we all fleshed it out over many hours before it received an AfD (article for deletion). Since that time there has been many articles that have talked about the controversy and the hypocrisy behind it. We have been working on this project for some time now."

"Wikipedia Art" http://wikipediaart.org/wiki/index.php?title=Wikipedia_Art

The Controversy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia_Art_controversy

other related articles:
FaceBook http://www.facebook.com/n/?group.php&gid=75066111912&aref=18815168
What is Wikipedia Art? http://thewhole9.com/blogs/applestooranges/2009/02/14/what-is-wikipedia-art/

Darn cool? yes?