Bryan W. Brush and Yong Ju Lee, SEAT.
Photo courtesy of Flux Projects.
Installation currently on view in Freedom Park until Sept. 22.
To say that Atlanta is booming with creative energy would be an understatement. The city is filled with innovative chefs, clothing designers, painters, singers, dancers and performers, as well as a hot bed of burgeoning talent at places like SCAD, Creative Circus and Art Institute of Atlanta. In addition to the usual gallery opportunities, many of these artists are choosing nontraditional settings in which to exhibit their work. Enter Flux Projects.
Founded by Nexus Award-winning Louis Corrigan, Flux Projects’ mission is to support artists in creating innovative temporary public art throughout Atlanta. They do this by offering platforms that challenge the standard concept of arts venues. Led by Executive Director Anne Archer Dennington, participating artists come from near and far to participate in Flux Projects that showcase every category of creative expression.
There are several opportunities this fall to see Flux Projects in action. Now through September 22nd at Freedom Park you can see SEAT, an installation comprised of 300 wooden chairs by Brian Brush and Yong Ju Lee (right). This September, Sonic Generator will perform Martin Matalon’s new musical score to the 1927 sci-fi classic film Metropolis, with an exterior wall of the High Museum serving as the screen. This October, Flux 2012 will take place in the Castleberry Hill Arts District. The annual event brings together creatives of all types for a night of stimulating sights, sounds and experiences.
CommonCreativ spoke with Executive Director Anne Archer Dennington about Flux Projects artists and events, and the environment of creative possibility they are building in Atlanta.
Zoetic Dance Ensemble, Catch & Release.
Photo courtesy of Flux Projects and John Ramspott.
CommonCreativ: What brought you to Flux Projects?
Anne Archer Dennington: Louis Corrigan and I had worked together previously. When I was the executive director of Atlanta Celebrates Photography (ACP), he was on our board of directors. While there, we started the ACP Public Art Program, which was both of our entries into public art. I was excited to be part of the conversation as Louis began talking about Flux Projects. When he offered me the role of executive director, I jumped at the chance and moved back to Atlanta to take the position.
CC: How are artists selected to show their work?
AAD: Most works are selected from calls for proposals or invitations. Last year we issued two calls, one for Freedom Park and one for [the Flux event]. We have also invited specific artists to propose projects, such as gloATL, Gyun Hur and Anya Liftig. Several projects, though, including Memory Flash by John Q. and Portrait of My Father, came from unsolicited proposals. The artists for both brought us a project we simply could not pass up.
CC: The creative spirit in Atlanta is in full motion from The Atlanta Ballet to artists practicing their craft in ink at tattoo parlors. How do you think cities like New York, Berlin and Paris that have had their reputation in the arts for decades see our city in the art game?
AAD: I think artists working in traditional capitals see Atlanta as an untapped market, a place of experimentation where new opportunities are available. We are not New York, Berlin, or Paris, but we are hoping this will allow artists the freedom to take greater risks.
CC: The street party in July ran the gamut of talented Atlantans in areas from photography to food to dance. What experience did you hope to give to attendees?
John Morse, Roadside Haiku.
Photo courtesy of Flux Projects and the artist.
AAD: We wanted to begin promoting Castleberry Hill as the location for Flux, preview some of the Flux performers (Em Kempf is also performing at this year’s After Party), have fun, and raise some money for this year’s event. We achieved that.
CC: How will Flux Projects grow and go from here?
AAD: We’ve learned a lot in our first two years and are extremely proud of the projects we’ve done. Now, we’re raising the bar on what we deliver to our audience and our artists. We’ll be doing fewer projects that will have a greater impact. We want to give artists the opportunity to do work they can’t do anywhere else. We want their projects to be the most innovative work of their careers to date. We want these projects to inspire a broad audience and shift the way Atlantans and the rest of the world see our city.
For more information on Flux Projects events and on the upcoming FLUX 2012 in October, visit their website at fluxprojects.org
