FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Springfield, MO. (August 19, 2016) - The popular public art experiment, prominently featured on the Museum’s lawn is set to be disassembled Monday afternoon as part of Drury University’s new student Service Plunge. The outdoor exhibition gallery, made up of murals and graffiti panels, has been continuously changing since its installation in summer of 2015. The House of Art(S) is the second temporary public art collaboration between the Springfield Art Museum and Drury University’s Art of Space, with support provided by the Missouri Arts Council, the Hammons School of Architecture, and Conco.
The House of Art(S) was designed to be an interactive, participatory art installation. Over the course of the year it has been transformed by the community through the addition (and subtraction) of paint, drawings, poems, quotes, and found objects - including a shopping cart. It has provided a constant platform of community engagement through its 24 hour accessibility and numerous appearances on various social media channels.
Curator of Art Sarah Buhr notes, “The House of Art(S) has provoked and inspired a number of conversations about public space, public art, and ways that the Museum can continue to provide spaces for community art-making. I have truly enjoyed collaborating with Gerard Nadeau from Art of Space, and appreciate the hundreds of artists who have left their mark on the House of Art(S). ”
Student volunteers from Drury University will be on hand to assist with the de-installation. Museum Director Nick Nelson notes, “We are proud to be a part of Drury’s annual Service Plunge. Not only does it provide an opportunity for students to roll up their sleeves and help make a difference, but it helps us introduce the Museum and its role in the community to civic-minded new students.”
In addition to the de-installation, Drury students will help begin preparatory work on several outdoor sculptures at the Museum, set to be conserved in early September. The Museum raised $17,100 to make improvements to the Museum’s grounds, the bulk of which came through the #SaveTheFrenchFries Campaign on Give Ozarks Day in early May.
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The Springfield Art Museum is Springfield, Missouri’s oldest cultural institution, founded in 1928. A department of the City of Springfield, we are dedicated to enhancing the education and documenting the cultural heritage of the people of southwest Missouri through the collection, preservation, and exhibition of art objects. For more information, please visit www.sgfmuseum.org
For more information, please contact Joshua Best, Development and Marketing Coordinator, 417-837-5700 ext. 224 or jbest@springfieldmo.gov.