glo leader Lauri Stallings has been commissioned to create a new work for New York's Central Park.
Stallings' work, titled "And all directions I come to you," will be presented this summer as part of a group exhibition of U.S. and international artists, “Drifting in Daylight: Art in Central Park,” running May 15 through June 20. A release from glo terms its piece a "nomadic installation" that will move the glo artists around the park's North Woods. Employing Stallings' "gestural language" over the span of a day, the performers "will explore the tension between emancipation and human limitations."
The commission is from Creative Time, credited with orchestrating public art projects internationally by artists including David Byrne, Kara Walker, DJ Spooky and Nick Cave.
“Central Park is such a fantastic piece of landscape art as is, we wanted an exhibition that complements the already idyllic and meditative qualities of the park," said Nato Thompson, curator of Creative Time, which will present as many as 10 works on Friday and Saturday afternoons during the run of "Drifting in Daylight." "The artworks literally dance across the solitary walkways, reflective lakes and pensive vistas, providing an unexpected and thoughtful journey in the spirit of the park’s creator Frederick Law Olmsted himself.”
Creative Time has engaged Stallings and glo for a six-week New York residency that includes free community engagement activities.
glo, which wants to involve Atlantans in the process of creating "And all directions I come to you," has announced these public programs:
- Partake of the studio process, noon-6 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays through Saturdays and 2-5 p.m. and 6-9 p.m. Wednesdays, April 13 through May 8 at Goat Farm Arts Center.
- A talk led by glo creative consultants Paul Boshears and Maggie Davis, 7 p.m. April 7, location to be announced.
- Preview of "And all directions I come to you," 6 p.m. May 6 at Goat Farm Arts Center. $10 suggested donation.
Information: www.gloatl.org. Read more about "Drifting in Daylight" artists here.
By the way, Nato Thompson was previously announced as curator of Flux Night, Flux Projects' public art extravaganza, to be held Oct. 3 in Castleberry Hill. Details: fluxprojects.org.
THEATER
20 productions edge into Fringe Festival
The lineup has been announced for the 4th Annual Atlanta Fringe Festival, June 4-7 in venues in and around Little Five Points, and, as usual, it’s an eclectic amalgam.
The 20 productions, from six states, include what the fest's Facebook page characterizes as "indie, edgy, wild, weird performance." Artists include the New Orleans dance group Gris Gris Strut, Atlanta's Hot Toddies Cabaret, the spoken word/storytelling artists Ch'an Press from Washington and Decatur's Puppets Playing Pretend.
As has been the festival tradition, participants were selected by a pulled-out-of-a-hat lottery.
Noting that the applicant list grows each year, festival executive director Diana Brown, said, “We think it shows that our mission of building a community is really starting to take hold. People know we’re a safe, fun place to just go for it and try something new and awesome in front of a supportive crowd.”
Details: 678-281-1816, atlantafringe.org.
