Nocturnal Notations: A Living Installation


It is hard to believe that it is almost the end of October and that Dana’s month of residency in the dsitrict is almost complete. Together, we have adapted to a second temporary studio, the first being the generous welcome provided to me and Tim DuRoche - the September Guest Artist, by SWF’s favorite cafe - Bella Espresso.

Many SWF residents, workers and visitors have casually wandered into the currrent AiR temporary studio over the last several weeks to look at her evolving installation. Filled with drawings, suspended objects and treatments for the floor, the studio changes daily. Many residents have also let us know how enamored they have become with Dana’s two temporary nighttime light projections that extend the images from the studio into the neighborhood. These lit installations will be active until Thursday, Nov.1.

On Saturday, Oct. 27th, Dana will present the culmination of her one-month residency in the district - Nocturnal Notations: A Living Installation. The work has been conceived and built on site and references both the artist’s as well residents’ and visitors’ dreams offered throughout the month. A ‘Living Installation’ means that the objects in the installation will be purposely inhabited during the open studio in ways that forward and nuance their meaning.

During her residency, Dana has been exploring the question of how one dreams a community into being. The accumulated installation draws connections between Dana’s experience of communities in West Africa and the very fluid process of creating community that is evident daily in the SWF neighborhood. Issues in this work involve the fluctuations in privacy between the daytime and nighttime, publicly shared space and use, as well as the collaborative energy required to co-habitate. Visitors can look forward to live music on the baliphone and hot tea. The installation time is ongoing, 7-9:30p which means that one can just drop in or stay awhile. The temporary studio is SW Bond @Gaines across from the park. All events of the AiR program are free and open to the public.

AiR LKJ

Our monthly guest artist series continues with Dana Lynn Louis in October 2007. Join the discussion as she writes about her experiences in creating art that celebrates the South Waterfront community.