Faith Purvey

REFOUNDATION

admin — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 16:22:26 +0000

I will be heading to Milwaukee for round 2 of the Refoundation project, and this time will be collaborating directly with the City, Melvina Triangle, and Milwaukee Public Theatre for July 2012. Very excited! stay tuned…

Fort Hauser

admin — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:42:50 +0000

Fort Hauser is an ongoing sculptural occupation of an urban municipal space at Hauser and Washington Blvds, Midcity, LA 90016. Art is generated on site by passerby within a series of “forts” in an ongoing conversation with community members and artists. The fort references notions of occupation, habitat, and play. Past interventions have included live music and performance. Art and building materials are made available on-site so that passerby may add their own creations to the projects, embodying collective representation within the space.

A series of temporary installations and events have taken place on the traffic island between October 2009 and the present: the inaugural Fort Hauser Gallery; a sculpture workshop; a “Town Square” Christmas tree; the recurring Bermuda Triangle tent portal; Fort Hauser Monument; and Pancakes. The project was initially born at the Washington Blvd Art Concert and curated by Islands of LA.

Fort Hauser continues to inspire many people in the neighborhood. In addition to local residents, the project is in conversation with the Midcity Neighborhood Council and local entities as new installations and events are being planned.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Underground River

admin — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:55:08 +0000

PAINTINGS

admin — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 03:25:56 +0000

Refoundation

admin — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 14:08:27 +0000

As part of the “Art On and Off Capitol” Initiative, the Refoundation project was designed to activate underutilized public space in the Century City (formerly known as Franklin Heights) area of Milwaukee, to include a small park at 29th and Melvina, as well as a “pop-up” gallery at 24th and Locust. I spent 6 weeks workshopping with the general public, and forming relationships with neighborhood board leaders, residents, MPS, and city officials. The project resulted in a temporary sculpture park and culminating event on July 23, 2011.
The main component of the project was a “city” of 10 forts (PVC pipe and fittings, canvas and foam walls) painted collectively by 30-40 neighborhood kids, representing civic buildings and stores. Their visioning for these “buildings” was developed through various exercises, and ultimately expressed their interests and dreams. Designing and installing the “city” was our way of reoccupying the neglected little park in a high crime area. About 100 residents and community leaders attended the final event : the Refoundation art exhibit with a hot dog barbeque and showcase of local talent, such as gospel singing and a local drum team. A month later, adults involved with the project teamed together to arrange a reception, gathering and transporting a group of the kids to City Hall, where 4 of their forts were exhibited in the main lobby, and they were also given a long tour of the historic building by Alderman Wade. The City has requested the project to occur again in summer 2012.

The project took place through IN:SITE in collaboration with David Weber, City of Milwaukee, the 30th Industrial Corridor, Melvina Triangle Neighborhood Council, Business Improvement District, MPD District 5, and CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design.)

Utopia float : MPT

admin — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 13:39:40 +0000

I worked with Milwaukee Public Theater and youth from 3 organizations to design and create a new model of Milwaukee: a “Utopia” portable city on a float. This project was intended as a space for youth to respond to the mob violence that has occurred in the city twice during summer 2011. We envisioned what a new and improved city would look like through brainstorming, sketching, and sculpting with recycled materials. One high school senior represented a model of STAMPP, a center she has started in her community for art, music, acting, and dancing for young people. We had a few conversations, and the result was that she passed out a few hundred flyers about her fledgling organization via the Utopia float.

The MPT All People’s Parade was in conjunction with Laborfest parade, on Labor Day, sept 5th 2011.

FORTS

admin — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 23:35:25 +0000

“Sensitive Habitat” modular fort structures assimilate nomadic explorations with tenuous, ethereal formations of interior :

Space Station; drawing for Window Vestibule; Bunker fort (+ workshop); drawing for Tesla’s Pyramid fort; The Disappearer; Pink Tent / Station / Spiral (from Body Project)

Faith Purvey

REFOUNDATION

Fort Hauser

Underground River

PAINTINGS

Refoundation

Utopia float : MPT

FORTS

Passages

Passage 1

Passage II

Passage III

Home Is Here, Not Just Everywhere

PHOTO BOOKLET designed by Chris May, Program Studio, Chicago.

INTERVENTIONS