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DownStreet Launches June 24

Summer Exhibitions in North Adams

By: - Jun 10, 2010

Downtreet DownStreet Downstreet Downstreet Downstreet
With seven additional visual art destinations over last year’s offerings and 11 new galleries, this year’s DownStreet Art initiative – organized by the Berkshire Cultural Resource Center (BCRC) at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) – not only will increase in scope and size; its installations will highlight communities from around the world.

Featuring internationally renowned installation artists such as Liz Nofziger and Pepón Osorio, as well as showcasing homegrown talent, DownStreet Art continues to act as a catalyst for drawing thousands of visitors to downtown North Adams.

“DownStreet Art continues to grow in size and scale, with more visual arts destinations and events this summer and fall than ever before. While global in scale, there is a wonderful sense of the small world in which we live, with many of this year’s exhibitions exploring, showcasing and dissecting the meaning of community,” said Jonathan Secor, director of special programs at MCLA. 

The third annual DownStreet Art will kick off in downtown North Adams on Thursday, June 24, 6-9 p.m., with a massive block party celebrating the arts. There will be gallery exhibition openings, street musicians and specials at local businesses. The event is free and open to the public. All of the participating artists will be in attendance.

MCLA President Mary K. Grant said, “It’s so exciting to see how DownStreet Art has grown thanks to the many partners who continue to support this innovative initiative which fills  our downtown storefronts with art exhibits and performances throughout the summer and fall. Over the past two years combined, this public art project drew approximately 35,000 people to downtown North Adams. DownStreet Art not only highlights the incredibly talented community of artists that call the Berkshires home, it serves as a draw for artists from across the globe. With more venues and artists than ever before, we expect another terrific season as local
residents and visitors alike enjoy the wide variety of art to be found across the community.  It’s also a great opportunity to sample local restaurants and support local businesses.”

“DownStreet Art is an extremely important initiative that perfectly blends the arts and business community,” said Brian Micsik, president of Develop North Adams. “It benefits our businesses by bringing thousands of people downtown, and benefits our entire community by providing an expanded presence for these artists and their work.”

DownStreet Art’s 34 visual arts destinations also will include Gallery Haiti, showing the work of contemporary Haitian American artists.  Proceeds from the sale of this artwork will go to support the arts community in Haiti. The exhibition is curated by MCLA Professor Melanie
Mowinski, as well as Art for Change in New York City and Haitian artists and performers.

“Haiti has a deep, deep cultural history – both past and present. Currently what we see on most of our TVs are the images of people struggling just to survive, and it is important to remember them and to continue the support of those people. But we must not forget that this is a nation rich in talented artists and performers,” Secor said. “This gallery will attempt to show what is happening in their art scene. It will continue to remind people of the need in Haiti, while reminding them that there’s a vibrant arts community there.”

Local Color will focus on supporting, growing and showcasing the community that has existed in the region for decades. Area artist Wendy James will work with untrained artists in North Adams to present this exhibition of their art.

At the location once known as the “The Artery Lounge” the art exhibition named “The Artery” will transform what was once one of North Adams’ most popular watering halls into a new art work by Boston-based artist Liz Nofziger.

“The Artery was one of the last of its kind – a working class, blue-collar bar – that opened before the first shift of the area’s factories,” said Secor. “Liz Nofziger is taking the bar as it was left one year ago – with Budweiser stickers stuck on the walls and smoke stains on the ceiling. She will bring new life to the space, using its history and environment.”

In the former Gateway Motors Ford dealership on Route 2, Philadelphia-based, Puerto Rican artist Osorio will create an expansive, multi-media work that looks at the differences between the City and Williamstown.  The work was commissioned by the Williams College Museum of Art (WCMA), and will move from its North Adams location to the Williams College Museum of Art in the fall.

According to Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA) Director Joseph Thompson, “DownStreet Art is great for many reasons: it provides a wide range of accessible venues for the growing number of talented artists who live in our region; it creates more good reasons for visitors to check out downtown North Adams; it’s an excellent training ground for many interns; and it’s a lovely excuse for an all-city party!  This year, we’re especially lucky to have the Williams College Museum of Art adding what promises to be an especially powerful installation by Pepón Osorio.”

Visitors to the MCLA Gallery 51 Annex will find an interactive installation work produced by Sadie and Ephraim Hatfield.  Avalon Seafood has three exhibitions currently planned, including a look at what it means to be patriotic and a redesigning of North Adams.

With the opening of an exhibition featuring the work of artist Daisy Rockwell in the Galerie Inqilab at 5 Holden St., the Berkshires will have three generations of Rockwell artists on view.  From June 24 to July 25, Daisy Rockwell’s work will join the work of Norman Rockwell, her
grandfather, exhibited at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, as well as the work of her father, Jarvis Rockwell, whose work will be exhibited on Main Street in North Adams.

Later on this summer, Galeria Inqilab will feature the work of wood cut prints from the Asaro collective in Oaxaca Mexico, in a show titled “The Art of Dissent,” curated by MCLA Professor Ann Scott.

“DownStreet Art has become quite a phenomenon here in North Adams,” said the city’s mayor, Richard Alcombright. “It has contributed significantly to bringing the art community into the downtown, and, in doing so, fostering activity for local businesses.~Through the efforts of Jonathan Secor and many others and with the support of MCLA, DownStreet Art will
grow again this year to more than 30 locations in the core of our beautiful city.~ I am truly looking forward to the opening of this wonderful collaboration and I am confident it will once again be highly successful.”

According to Anita Walker, executive director of the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC), “DownStreet Art continues the North Adams tradition of innovative approaches to building community through the arts. The MCC is pleased to support DownStreet Art’s efforts to revitalize North Adams and enhance its attractiveness as a place to live, work, and visit.”

DownStreet Art Thursdays will continue on the last Thursday of every month from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. These events will feature music, performances, gallery openings and other downtown activities.

DownStreet Art is a project of MCLA’s Berkshire Culture Resource Center, partnering with the City of North Adams, Develop North Adams, Orbit Visual Graphic Design and Scarafoni Realty.  The program is made possible through lead sponsorship support provided by Greylock Federal Credit Union and Greylock Investment Group.  Additional support is provided by: Adams
Co-Operative Bank, Berkshire Bank, the City of North Adams, Gramercy Bistro, Hoosac Bank, The Hub Food and Spirit, Doug Morin MD, Papyri Books, The Party Place, Petrino’s Café, The Porches Inn at MASS MoCA , Supreme Pizza and Wings, Taylor’s and TGL Photoworks.

The initiative was designed to revitalize downtown North Adams by identifying the City as a cultural haven. The program serves not only to increase MCLA’s visibility, but to showcase what other local arts organizations have to offer. For more information about DownStreet Art and the Berkshire Cultural Resource Center, go to [ http://www.downstreetart.org ] www.downstreetart.org  and www.mcla.edu/bcrc

Downstreet Art 2010 Destinations

1   MASS MoCA 
Largest center for contemporary visual and performing arts in the country.
87 Marshall St., Open daily 10-6.
2   KIDSPACE AT MASSMOCA 
Art gallery, studio and educational program for families. 1040 MassMoca
Way, Open daily 11-4.
3    NORTH ADAMS ARTISTS’ CO-OP GALLERY   
Member-run contemporary fine art and craft gallery. 33 Main St., Mon-Fri
11-6, Sat 10-6, Sun 10-2.
4   LOCAL COLOR 
“Art is the symbolic expression of human feeling" as demonstrated by local
artists. 33 Main St., Wed-Fri 12-6, Sat 10-6, Sun 10-2.
5  GALERIE HAITI
Contemporary Haitian and Haitian American art that reinvents traditional
work of Haiti. 49 Main St., Wed-Fri 12-6, Sat 10-6, Sun 10-2.
6   MCLA GALLERY 51 
Work by international, national and local artists, MCLA faculty and
students. 51 Main St., Open daily 10-6.
7    THE SUNNYSIDE OF MAIN STREET: A KIDSPACE PROJECT
Solar energy based project by Victoria Palermo and local 7th grade. 53
Main St., installation on view 24 hours.
8    NOT FOR SALE 
An interactive storefront window installation by Ephraim & Saide Hatfield.
65 Main St., installation on view 24 hours.
9    GALERIE INQUILAB 
The Art of Dissent: Woodcut Prints from the ASARO Collective in Oaxaca
Mexico and Paintings by Daisy Rockwell. 5 Holden St., Wed-Fri 12-6, Sat
11-6, Sun 10-2.
10  AVALON SEAFOOD GALLERY
Experimental art based in painting and drawing traditions. 7 Holden St.,
Thu-Sat 12-6, Sun 12-4. 
11 BE YOUR OWN PLACEBO
Evolving group exhibition of contemporary multimedia art. 28 Holden St.,
Wed-Fri 12-6, Sat 10-6, Sun 10-2.
12  THE ARTERY
A site specific installation by Boston-based artist Liz Nofziger. 26
Holden St., Wed-Fri 12-6, Sat 10-6, Sun 10-2.   
13  WENDY JAMES STUDIO
A working studio exploring various media.. 22 Holden St., Sat 10-6, Sun
10-2. Fri June 25, 10-6. 
14  WILLIAM OBERST STUDIO
The working studio of this realist painter of people and landscapes. 16
Holden St., Wed-Sat 12-5, Sun 12-4, please knock or call 631-398-4011.
15  MAYA III: JARVIS ROCKWELL RETROSPECTIVE
Wall drawings by artist Jarvis Rockwell.  73 Main St.,  Wed-Fri 12-6, Sat
11-6, Sun 11-2.
16  WALL OF SOUND 
A site-specific installation by artist David Poppie. 73 Main Street,
installation on view 24 hours.
17  Berkshire Artists Colony GALLERY Features fine art and crafts from the
Berkshires. 107 Main St., Wed-Fri 12-6, Sat 10-6, Sun 10-2.
18  MILL GALLERIES
Brill, Eclipse Mill, Stack, studio21south and Kolok Galleries present art
from their collections. 109 Main St., on view 24 hours.
19  ART @ CITY HALL 
An exhibition of regional Contemporary Art curated by Diane Sullivan. 10
Main St.,  Mon-Thu 8:30-4:30, Fri 8:30-1.
20  Chapel of Humanity  Eric Rudd’s sculptural epic. 150 life-size figures
and 54 ceiling panels in historic church. 82 Summer Street, Summer Wed-Sun
12-5, Fall Sat-Sun 1-5.
21 ELF PARLOR GALLERY
An intimate gallery showcasing work of local artists. 303 Ashland St.,
Mon-Thu 7am-8pm, Fri 7am-midnight, Sat 9am-midnight.
22  MERRITT FLETCHER
Artworks Infused with Magical Realism  24 Eagle Street, every Thu opening
and Sat 12-4.
23 Eagle St Installation Space Artworks Infused with Magical Realism 24
Eagle Street, every Thu opening and Sat 12-4.
24  ADAMS CO-OPERATIVE BANK GALLERY
1st Annual Art Exhibition.  31 Eagle Street, every Thu opening and Sat
12-4.
25  MARTHA FLOOD DESIGN
Textile Gallery and Surface Pattern Design Studio 38 Eagle St., Wed-Sat
12-6, Sundays July and August, and by appt.
26  ART SPACE @ HISTORIC FLATIRON
Drawings by Eric Rudd.  38 Eagle St. Wed-Sat 12-5 or by appt.
27  PAPYRI BOOKS GALLERY
Independent booksellers exhibiting photographic works by regional artists.
45 Eagle St., Mon-Sat 12-6.
28 DROWNING IN A GLASS OF WATER 
A large-scale, multimedia installation by artist Pepón Osorio commissioned
by the Williams College Museum of Art. 69 Union Street, Wed-Fri 12-6, Sat
10-6 Sun 10-2.
29  KOLOK GALLERY 
Acclaimed gallery with art by emerging and mid- career artists. Windsor
Mill, 121 Union St., Mon-Fri 9-4, weekend by appt.
30  STACK GALLERY 
A mill gallery featuring the work of Paris artist Jean Noelle Chazelle.
NoAMA Mill, 234 Union St., Mon-Fri 9-4.
31  BRILL GALLERY
Museum quality paintings, photography and sculpture. Eclipse Mill 109, 243
Union St., Fri-Sun 12-6 and by appt.
32  RIVER HILL POTTERY
A pottery gallery and working studio for artists Gail and Phil Sellers.
Eclipse Mill 104, 243 Union St., Open daily 10-5.
33  ECLIPSE MILL GALLERY
Artist-run gallery featuring work by residents and area artists. Eclipse
Mill 102, 243 Union St., Sat-Sun 12-5.
34  studio21south
Showing contemporary realist and abstract art. Beaver Mill, 189 Beaver
St., Rt 8, July & August:  Sat 1-5, Sun 10-1 or by appt.
35  NORTH ADAMS MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND SCIENCE
Celebrate the rich history of North Adams. Heritage State Park, Thu-Sat
10-4, Sun 1-4.
36 VISITOR MUSEUM
Portrays the construction of the Hoosac Tunnel. Open 7 days 10-5 pm.

Downstreet Art 2010 Calendar
 
June 24, Thu                     
Downtown
5pm     
Downstreet Art Opening Night

June 24, Thu           
Main Street Stage
8pm
The Baltimore Waltz, Pay What You Can

June 25, Fri           
Eclipse Mill Gallery
6pm             
Abstraction Now, Opening

June 26, Sat                 
studio21south
4pm                 
Common Place, Opening

June 26, Sat                     
MASS MoCA
8pm
Cabaret: Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey

June 27, Sun                     
Main Street
12-4pm       
North Berkshire Food Fest

June 30, Wed                 
Windsor Lake
7pm             
Taconic Pipe Band Concert

July 2, Fri                         
MASS MoCA
8pm               
Concert: Richie Havens

July 3, Sat                         
Brill Gallery
6pm                 
MIXED MEDIA Opening

July 4, Sun   
Noel Field and Entire City
9pm                 
City Fireworks Display

July 7, Wed                   
Windsor Lake
7pm                 
Soul Sensations Concert

July 10, Sat                     
MASS MoCA
1pm         
Family Event: Gallery Quest

July 10, Sat         
Papyri Books Gallery
8pm             
Wordplay: Howard Cruse

July 10, Sat                       
MASS MoCA
8pm           
Cabaret-Comedy: Dave Hill

July 12-31                       
MASS MoCA
Bang On A Can Music Festival

July 14, Wed                     
Eagle Street
4-10pm         
Eagle Street Beach Party

July 14, Wed                   
Windsor Lake
7pm               
Champagne Jam Concert

July 17, Sat   
WCMA space, 69 Union St
11am–2pm       
Pepòn Osorio, Opening

July 17, Sat                     
MASS MoCA
11:30am                         
Kids Can Too

July 17, Sat                     
MASS MoCA
8pm   
Cabaret-Music: The Ukuladies

July 19, Mon           
Elf Parlor Gallery
8pm               
Garie Ernstoff, Opening

July 21, Wed                 
Windsor Lake
8pm 
Mettawee River Children’s Theatre

July 23, Fri         
Eclipse Mill Gallery
6pm 
Painting Space: Norm Thomas, Opening

July 24, Sat                     
MASS MoCA
3-10pm                 
George Crumb Day

July 28, Wed               
Windsor Lake
7pm                 
Bang on a Can Concert

July 29, Thu                     
Downtown
6pm 
Art Openings, Performances, More!

July 31, Sat                 
studio21south
4pm     
Re/Imagining New York, Opening

July 31, Sat                   
MASS MoCA
4-10pm     
Bang on a Can Marathon

July 31, Sat                   
MASS MoCA
Leonard Nimoy/Michael Oatman Opening

Aug 4, Wed                       
MASS MoCA
2pm
Play Reading: Art in LeWitt Galleries

Aug 4, Wed                 
Windsor Lake
7pm                     
Easy Street Concert

Aug 7, Sat                     
MASS MoCA
11:30am     
Family Event: Uncle Rock

Aug 7, Sat                     
Brill Gallery
6pm        
POWER RIDGE, Opening

Aug 7, Sat                       
MASS MoCA
8pm   
Cabaret: Clare and the Reasons

Aug 14, Sat       
Papyri Books Gallery
7pm   
Wordplay: Stuart Bartow, poet

Aug 13-15, Fri-Sun       
MASS MoCA
Wilco: Solid Sound Festival

Aug 21, Sat
MASS MoCA
8:30pm 
A Night of African Music and Film

Aug 23, Mon           
Elf Parlor Gallery
8pm   
North Adams Photo Society, Opening

Aug 25, Wed
Downtown
5:30–9pm
Downtown Celebration

Aug 26, Thu
Downtown
6-9pm
Openings, Performances, more!

Aug 28, Sat
MASS MoCA
1pm       
Family Event: Gallery Quest

Aug 28, Sat
MASS MoCA
8:30pm   
Film / Live Music: Califone

Sep 3, Fri             
Eclipse Mill Gallery
6pm 
Illustrious: Art Of The Book, Opening

Sep 4, Sat                       
MASS MoCA
8pm           
Raggae Soul Dance Party

Sep 11, Sat         
Papyri Book Gallery
7pm
Wordplay: Charles O’Brien, author

Sep 15-Oct 3
Downtown
Fall Foliage Festival

Sep 20, Mon           
Elf Parlor Gallery
8pm           
Seven Blakeman, Opening

Sep 25, Sun             
MCLA Presents!
3pm                     
Black Violin Concert

Sep 30, Thu                       
Downtown
6-9pm 
Openings, Performances, more!

Oct 1, Fri     
MCLA Gallery 51 Annex
5pm   
Six University Student Show

Oct 3, Sun                       
Downtown
1pm           
Fall Foliage Day Parade

Oct 8, Fri             
Eclipse Mill Gallery
6pm
Eclipse Annual 2010, Opening

Oct 9, Sat                     
studio21south
4 pm   
The Model Is Posing, Opening

Oct 9, Sat           
Papyri Books Gallery
7pm   
Wordplay: Gail M. Burns, essayist

Oct 15, Fri               
Elf Parlor Gallery
7pm                 
Photography, Opening

Oct 16, Sat & 17, Sun         
Downtown
North Adams Open Studios Weekend