Bleecker Coop Memorial Project: The Design is Unveiled

untitled, Anna Camilleri, 2012, 10" x 32", paper on birch bark

We had a great meeting on Thursday January 12, 2012. More than 30 community members came out to view and offer feedback to the design. It's an exciting moment in the life of a project. In a community engaged art context, design "unveiling" is the culmination of conceptual development and arts-based research with community members over several months. 


To briefly review our path, we met with community members, staff, and directors from October to December. Together, we told stories, brainstormed ideas, motivation, visual motif and themes, and then we moved beyond talking. Using simple materials and techniques, we explored visual expressions for our ideas.  We also looked at the space that the work will ultimately live in, and discussed function, space use, and other site-specific environmental and architectural elements. This development process was -- and is --anchored by our goal: to create a large-scale artwork through collaborative processes that memorializes our beloved founding manager Diane Frankling in this 20th year of Bleecker Coop's proud and inclusive community.

detail

As the artwork suggests, the mosaic we're about to begin building is more of installation than mural; the work is dimensional with high and low relief elements that we'll build in layers. The images below are technical drawings, presented here in their fabrication order: level 1 supports level 2, and level 3 is supported by levels 1 and 2. We viewed them on a light table (one on top of the other), which reveals the design and structural fabrication in its totality. 

Technical Drawing Level 1, (c) Anna Camilleri, 2012

Technical Drawing Level 2, (c) Anna Camilleri, 2012

Technical Drawing Level 3, (c) Anna Camilleri, 2012

Artwork Site, Bleecker Street Cooperative lobby

The mosaic installation will span the wall as pictured, on both sides of the opening. Actual artwork dimensions will be 10'x4' and 3'4"x4'.


We'd like to acknowledge the community members, staff, and directors who contributed to the conceptual development of this design. Thank you for your support, wisdom, openness, and creativity. 


We gratefully acknowledge the support of the citizens of Toronto through the Toronto Arts Council, and the Cooperative Housing Federation of Toronto.


Tristan and I would also want to recognize our stellar team:


Enrique Campos | Ceramic Artist
Katie Yealland | Photographer and Technician
Heidi Cho | Community Artist
Chantelle Gobeil | Associate Artist
Ryan Hayward | Coordinator
Andrew Henderson| Intern
Dominique Grant | Apprentice
Dorian Johnson | Youth Leader
Emily Jones | Youth Leader


We look forward to seeing you in the studio: the doors open on Sunday January 29, and the first of two ceramics workshops will be led by Enrique on Tuesday January 17. The complete schedule is posted here (and on the Bleecker Coop Memorial Project link at the top of this page)! 


Everyone is welcome. No experience is needed and all materials are provided. 


--Anna Camilleri, Lead Artist

      OPEN STUDIO SCHEDULE

DATE TIME Tuesday January 17 ceramics workshop 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. Sunday, January 29 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. Monday, January 30 ceramics workshop 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. Tuesday, January 31 5 p.m. – 9 pm. Saturday, February 4 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. Monday, February 6 LOBBY studio 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. Thursday, February 9 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. Sunday, February 12 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. Wednesday, February 15 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. Thursday, February 16 LOBBY studio 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. Saturday, February 18 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. Monday, February 20 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. Wednesday, February 22 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. Sunday, Feb 26 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb 28 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. Friday, March 2 4 p.m. – 8 p.m. Saturday, March 3 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. Monday, March 5 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. Thursday, March 8 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. Sunday, March 11 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 13 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. Thursday, March 15 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. Saturday, March 17 2 p.m. – 6 p.m.