What Art Will Be at Liberty Bank Building?

10 Nov What Art Will Be at Liberty Bank Building?

On Monday evening, Africatown hosted a meeting to gather community input on a vision for the artwork that will be a part of the Liberty Bank Building. Al Doggett and Esther Ervin, the project curators, were on hand to hear directly from the community about priorities for art at the building. Some of the artists that will work on the building were also in attendance to provide their thoughts. Wyking Garrett, CEO of Africatown led attendees through a process to solicit ideas and challenged the group to consider how art could honor the history of the bank and of the CD while still making room for the current and future of the neighborhood.

Here are just a few of the ideas the community voiced on Monday:

• Art at the building should be done by local artists and should look to work with youth from the community.
• The art should reflect a continuum of past, present and future.
• The art should emphasize the unity between the different communities within the CD.
• The future could be communicated through innovation.
• A gathering place would allow new meanings and new histories to be created.
• The concept of movement should be a part of the art.
• Make sure there are different age groups of artists working on the project.
• Art that’s interactive or tactile is important.
• An art curator could occupy one of the apartments in the building to keep any installments or art fresh.
• The building could be the host for a yearly celebration of art from the Central District.
• Incorporate the concept of the bank vault – what if the building had a vault with artistic treasures that was unveiled each year?
• Work with local businesses to develop promotions and tie-ins for rotating art installations.
• Record oral histories of the neighborhood and let passersby record their own stories when they visit.
• Consider integration with the Stqry App, activated by QR code.
• The art should reflect the audience – literally. What if the art was reflective and when you took a photo it showed you with the community in the background.
• Create an outdoor or accessible music studio that anyone in the community could use.
• Create a soapbox or space for spoken word artists.
• Host rooftop movie nights at the building.
• Include the CD’s musical history by using directed sound to play songs or recordings at certain times when people walk by.