Exhibit Announcement

River-Wash at Little Mekong: Selected Views 

 

Jonee Kulman Brigham

February 18 – March 28, 2014

Asian Economic Development Association
377 University Ave W, Suite D
(Next to Thai Café)
Saint Paul, MN 55103
651.222.7798 info@aeda-mn.org

Hours: Monday-Friday 10-5 (Note: The space is a working office; viewing hours are subject to change.) 

 

This exhibit gives a glimpse into a larger, recent public art project in Little Mekong Business and Cultural District along University Avenue between Mackubin and Galtier Streets in St. Paul. Starting in fall, 2013, “River-Wash at Little Mekong” engaged the people behind storefronts with the stormwater below the street —connecting Little Mekong to the Mississippi River. Participating business owners displayed a poster in their storefront documenting an encounter where they mark a watering can and water-paint the sidewalk to answer two questions: "What do you want to flow in to this place?" and "What do you want to wash away?" Then, washing the sidewalk, their hopes and concerns flow into the storm drain, to water street trees and be carried by the river—a healing symbol. In turn, the human role in river health is expressed by marking storm drains with a pollution prevention message. The exhibit includes photographs, posters, and the golden watering can with participants' writing from the project. Artist, Jonee Kulman Brigham of Full Spring Studio, collaborated with Friends of the Mississippi River, Asian Economic Development Association, and the City of St. Paul. The project is supported by Irrigate.

Learn more at  river-wash.blogspot.com and visit Little Mekong to support small businesses recovering from light-rail construction.

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River-Wash at Little Mekong on display at FMR event on February 13 at the Science Museum

One of the things I like about the Irrigate program that funded River-Wash at Little Mekong is how the program fosters relationships by having artists work in collaboration with local partners.

Katie Clower, Friends of the Mississippi River,
having just painted the first application
of the new City of St.Paul storm drain stencil
on the north side of University Ave. near Western,
September 15, 2013.

Friends of the Mississippi River (FMR), an environmental non-profit on the Green Line, was a collaborative partner for River-Wash at Little Mekong. FMR worked with me to stencil storm-drains in the Little Mekong business and cultural district with a pollution prevention message - part of the river-connection theme of the project. Building on that relationship, FMR has now invited me to show River-Wash at Little Mekong, along with other water-related art projects from Full Spring Studio at a display in conjunction with their annual public lecture series at the Science Museum of Minnesota. The theme this year is on "Our Water in a Changing World: Climate Change and the Urban Watershed," Thursday, February 13, 2014 at 7-8:30 p.m. At the time of this writing, there is a waiting list for the lecture, but check the link for current details. I'm looking forward to sharing work and discussing the intersection of art, place making and environmental awareness.

The other collaborative partner for the project, Asian Economic Development Association, will also hold an exhibit about the River-Wash project in their new offices, with details to come. Check back here for updates.