The Cultural Heritage Artists Project is a group of artists who first came together in the summer of 2008, in response to a call to create an art exhibition in partnership with a state-designated historic site in New Haven, Connecticut. As artists committed to working together collectively to develop new models of artist - community projects, the small group of us who met quickly decided that rather than produce an ordinary exhibition, we would move into largely uncharted territory by working together to create new works in response to the the environment, history, or architecture of this site. We wanted to tell its story, and to encourage others to experience the magical transformation of information through aesthetic interpretation that makes art compelling and relevant in our world today.
That our community partner was a historic Shul, still operating under by-laws which designated it a traditionally Orthodox Synagogue, was a piece of the project that posed interesting conceptual challenges that were unanticipated by those of us who were quite simply intrigued and inspired by a historic building that so clearly bore echoes of the "coming to America" immigration waves of the early 20th century. There was history in those walls, history in the worn down steps, and history in the nearly abandoned sanctuary that had once been a vibrant center of community life.
We were, for the most part, tourists in this site. We came to it not as members of the Orchard Street Shul, and we came to it from mixed religious and ethnic backgrounds. As our group grew, we came to include children and grandchildren of those who had grown up in the area attending Italian Catholic and Ukrainian Orthodox Churches, as well one artist who is descended from the Shul founders and still an active member. And of course most of us came from elsewhere, from other cities, other countries, other religious backgrounds or no religious backgrounds or religious orientations that changed over the years.
That our community partner was a historic Shul, still operating under by-laws which designated it a traditionally Orthodox Synagogue, was a piece of the project that posed interesting conceptual challenges that were unanticipated by those of us who were quite simply intrigued and inspired by a historic building that so clearly bore echoes of the "coming to America" immigration waves of the early 20th century. There was history in those walls, history in the worn down steps, and history in the nearly abandoned sanctuary that had once been a vibrant center of community life.
We were, for the most part, tourists in this site. We came to it not as members of the Orchard Street Shul, and we came to it from mixed religious and ethnic backgrounds. As our group grew, we came to include children and grandchildren of those who had grown up in the area attending Italian Catholic and Ukrainian Orthodox Churches, as well one artist who is descended from the Shul founders and still an active member. And of course most of us came from elsewhere, from other cities, other countries, other religious backgrounds or no religious backgrounds or religious orientations that changed over the years.
Committed open-minded community orientated artists that we were, we decided to issue an Open Call to include other artists who were interested in this site. Our call was simple, but we did realize that while history and community in the most general sense may have brought us into this project, we were in fact dealing with a historic site that belonged to others, and knew that we needed to respect this community.
And then we plunged ahead. We forged a relationship with an initially bewildered Jewish Historical Society, who were unaware of artists-as-researchers. We scanned, photographed, interviewed, and filmed. Our numbers grew as artists continued to apply, hearing from others about the wonderful project, the wonderful opportunity to make work for a purposeful exhibition. We were going to turn the art world inside out. We were not waiting for a curator to come to our studio and find that we had caught the wave that was the next big thing, we were going to make the next big thing and make the wave with it! We were joined by scholars who came to write about the history, to put the art and the building in context. We joined by computer science researchers who were going to push the art of 3D digital imaging forward by making a digital record of our site.
We were joined by so many that the project began to be too much for our total volunteer force, but we kept going, asking every artist to help. We found a new way to keep track of artist's works in progress and to encourage community across distances by creating a google website that required a password for participation. We asked any artist who could to join a committee, contribute advice, contribute services from graphic design to writing texts to picking people up at the train station.
And we pulled it off! For the 500 people who lined up on a cold December day to storm the doors of one of the largest and most diverse exhibitions that had ever been created on a shoe-string from pure inspiration, this show and book were a fabulous success.
Read the Call for Participation below, and stay tuned for the next phase - the part where one artist misunderstood all of the above, and managed to so convince others that his misunderstanding was the whole story that we can only correct the perceptions through the blogs!
Artists working in all media are invited to participate in a Cultural Heritage Project based in New Haven, Connecticut.
The Orchard Street Shul Artists Project offers artists an opportunity to engage with a historic synagogue that is largely as it was when it was opened in 1927. This is a rare opportunity for artists to visit the site before renovation takes place -- with the marks of history still clearly evident. The project is not a simple exhibition of existing work; you must make new work responding to the environment, history, or architecture of the Orchard Street Shul. All media will be considered, and you may determine the format of your participation as the project progresses. In keeping with the intention of celebrating heritage and cultural diversity, we ask that all work produced for this project maintain respect for the synagogue as the spiritual home of an ongoing segment of New Haven's Jewish Community, and as the legacy of past generations. Artists will be expected to visit the site at least once prior to producing work.
Artists will have access to ground-breaking 3D scans of the Shul, as researchers at Yale University will be working on the project to produce a virtual replica of the site. Engaging with the 3D data offers artists the opportunity to be at the forefront of research in 3D imaging. Artists working in non-digital media may visit the Orchard Street Shul for on-site sessions of drawing, painting, etc. Artists may also arrange for access to historical photographs in the collection of the Jewish Historical Society.
Artists may apply to be part of the exhibition by sending an email expressing interest. . . . Please include a link to a web site or blog with examples of previous work, and a c.v. In your email, tell us why this project interests you. There is no formal application form. After acceptance, you will have several months to complete your contribution to the project.
For more information visit:
(original website address given here - since changed... will reconstitute and post soon!)
(original website address given here - since changed... will reconstitute and post soon!)
The project is coordinated by Cynthia Beth Rubin, a New Haven based new media artist, working with a team of artists and community members.
