The Artlab33 Artist-in-Residence Initiative is designed to sustain a critical discourse on contemporary art, society, and the natural environment in south Florida. Organic and malleable by design, the residency initiative offers a platform for visual and interdisciplinary art practice to take risks, make discoveries, and challenge traditional systems of thought, production, and being.
Artlab33 Artist-in-Residence Initiative is also an opportunity to work in non-traditional studio in the natural environment, giving the time, solitude, and focus often unavailable to many working artists. This also allows an artist access to an outdoor workspace, and an inspirational setting, free from the expectations of commercial and academic demands, while also having access to local indoor space to focus on research, writing, and production, interaction with the local community.
INITIAL PROJECT
“Walking The River Making Art” (previously postponed due to infrastructure damage)
The entrance is still closed due to the footbridge needing replacement. The concrete and rebar structure is crumbling. Access to Jack Island is only available by water. This location, however, has provided the site for a number of exploratory visits, and a number of completed art works. The image below, taken in a location several kilometers north of Jack Island, shows the richness and health of the Indian River Lagoon as many ospreys were out catching mullet as they jumped out of the water.
Fort Pierce, Florida as the site of this residency has a vibrant historical museum. Above is a diorama of downtown Fort Pierce as viewed along the FEC rail lines about 1930.
The above house had been the storehouse of many documents and photographs which gave this area its significance as a residency location. The above letter from 1952 has been rewritten with the attempt to copy stylistically certain features of the original. The text as well was excerpted, and changed, to fit the needs of this project. The final project will reflect the original, both photos and letters, but will change into fiction as artistic license is used extensively.
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Short Term Art & Research Residency on the St. Lucie River and Lagoon (FL).
“Between the River and Lagoon” is an art residency initiative devoting several weeks over a two month period in rural Fort Pierce, Florida to build a comprehensive exhibition in drawing, photography, sculpture and video.
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