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Bayou-Luminescence (installed 2011)
photo © DesCours
THE INTEGRATION OF ART AND ARCHITECTURE
Our focus this month is the integration of art and architecture. Coming from different perspectives, our featured artists and architects blur boundaries between the disciplines to create holistic environments. In that spirit, we wanted to share the news that our newest partner, AIA New Orleans is celebrating the 5th Anniversary of DesCours, the annual architecture, visual arts and entertainment event (Dec 2-11). This event invites internationally renowned architects and artists to create 15 architecture installations within 'hidden' locations in the heart of New Orleans, including private courtyards, rooftops, abandoned buildings and walkways, all locations normally unseen, inaccessible or unused by the public. For those of you who can't make it, we have posted the projects and events online and on our smartphone apps.
On another note, we've been struggling with how to showcase all of the wonderful sculptures and artwork in places like Columbia University and Central Park. Later this month, we will be launching an "areas" feature which will highlight all the sites within special boundaries like historic districts.
Because it is the end of the year, we also wanted to reach out to you, our supporters and thank you for everything. It has been an amazing year. Not only did we add more than 1000 sites, we also recorded 100+ podcasts bringing the total to 450+. We also curated an exhibition at the Center for Architecture, NY titled 'Mapping the Cityscape' and organized 5 symposia to accompany it. We conducted 3 walking tours, launched two android apps, and participated in diverse events such as the Library Mobile Conference, the Society for Environmental Graphic Design X-Lab, Archtober, Urban Design Week and openhousenewyork. cultureNOW exists primarily through your generous funding. We were able to raise $5000 through Kickstarter this year. However, with the downturn in the economy, it has been extremely challenging to keep up the quality of our projects, especially given cutbacks in public funding for cultural organizations such as ours. We welcome any contributions (cultureNOW is a 501 c 3 organization) from our friends and supporters. The funding will help support our programs for 2012 beginning with our Harvard's Graduate School of Design J-term internships in January.
Donate
Abby Suckle, President
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Featured Collection:
MUSEUM OF OUTDOOR ARTS, ENGLEWOOD, COLORADO
In the spirit of integrating art and architecture into the landscape, we reached out to one of our most unique collections, the Museum of Outdoor Arts in Colorado. Employing a combination of art, architecture, and landscape, MOA is best known for integrating these disciplines in order to create exemplary environments.
Located throughout the Denver metro area in commercial office parks, botanical gardens and city parks, this collection encompasses over 200 pieces from sculpture to performance art.
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Chartres Labyrinth (installed 2008) by Roger Leitner
Photo © Fentress Architects and Museum of Outdoor Arts
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Windsong III (created 1989) by Robert Mangold
Photo © Museum of Outdoor Arts
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FEATURED TOUR
MACY'S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE
Our newest virtual tour follows the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade route and highlights the art and architecture along the way. This was great fun to put together and really exemplifies the integration of art and architecture into the cultural event that the tour is.
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Featured Artist: LAJOS HEDER AND MAGS HARRIES
Lajos Heder and Mags Harries are our featured artists this month as they work on large scale environmental and multimedia installations. We highlight Terpsichore for Kansas City, which opens on December 2nd. Located in the parking garage of the Kaufmann Center for the Performing Arts, this Light Organ produces compositional patterns with different rhythms to accompany the sound emanating from the 112 speakers. The Zanjero's Line stretches along 4 miles of the Highline Canal in South Phoenix enhancing a recreational trail used for cycling, walking, and horse riding at the base of South Mountain.
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Terpsichore for Kansas City (installed 2011)
Photo © Kansas City Municipal Art Collection
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The Zanjero's Line (constructed 2010)
Photo © David Newsom
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Featured Architect: TOD WILLIAMS BILLIE TSIEN ARCHITECTS
Tod Williams and Billie Tsien's architectural practice approaches art from an architectural point of view. One needs to only look at the metal façade panels at the American Folk Art Museum which were exhibited at the Cooper Hewitt Museum a few years ago and listen to Billie Tsien speak of them to understand the depth and richness they bring to their work. At the David Rubenstein Atrium (part of Lincoln Center), they collaborated with Dutch textile artisan Claudy Jongstra on the wall installation.
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American Folk Art Museum (constructed 2001)
Photo © Michael Moran
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David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center
(interior renovation 2011) Photo © Nic Lehoux
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