David Loewenstein is working on the third in a series of six state (Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, Nebraska, and Texas) community mural projects this summer. Last year he was leading a community mural painting process in Tonkawa, OK and Newton, KS. This summer he will be in Joplin, MO. Here’s a picture in process with the Newton Community Dance Project during the painting of “The Imagineers”.
To find out more about these six Mid American community murals that David is working on see http://www.maaa.org/muralproject and look for the movie that is being made about it! Here’s a sneak peek:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Eomvqn4rA6I]
That’s not all folks! David is also teaching a course he designed called “Roots and Practice: Community-Based Public Art” at Washburn University in Topeka. Beginning with a series of lectures, visiting speakers, readings and field trips, this new course will introduce art students to the roots and current practice of collaborative community-based public art: projects that bring local people together in partnership with professional artists to engage in an open process that culminates in the creation of site specific artworks reflecting their interests and their workmanship. Following the classroom work, students will move to the studio where they will each develop a design proposal for a community-based public art project at a specific site in the Topeka area. This process will include site visits, meetings with stakeholders, and consideration of logistics in the execution of the work. The completed designs will be shown at the end of the semester in an exhibition open to the public. Wow! bringing up a whole new generation of community engaged artists!!
Loewenstein is also working with an international artists’ collective. Together they have an exhibit called “Celebrate People’s History” that is traveling the U.S. and recently was published as a beautiful hardcover book. Read more about the artists’ collective Just Seeds and their projects at http://www.justseeds.org/josh_macphee/04cphbook.html
But wait there’s more! Our hero, David Loewenstein, is also currently having an installation show called THEM as well as running a community art space called Percolator. Below are an image from THEM and a shot of Percolator in action parading “This Cardboard Thing”. Looks like fun! If you are thoroughly inspired you are going to want to surf over to David’s blog, click subscribe (all the way at the bottom) and stay up to date.
