SECCA's Rise Up, Winston Salem project needs to make artful use of ladders temporarily loaned by the community. The deadline approaches. Can "The City of the Arts" rise to the occasion?
Awaken, O “City of the Arts” to the call for assistance by one of your own! SECCA’s inaugural project kicking off a yearlong outreach into the community via public art installations (Inside Out: Artists in the Community II) has one incredibly simple request. Could you please lend them a ladder? ANY ladder?
Artist Charlie Brouwer is being brought in to construct a temporary sculpture titled Rise Up Winston-Salem that will be on display at Old Salem Museums & Gardens from March 6th through April 12th. Brouwer’s work utilizes the lent ladders as both metaphor and material, representing the aspirations of the communities he collaborates with by creating skyward-striving, ethereal monuments. Right now, I’m afraid Winston’s aspirations don’t seem set to climb very high, with just sixteen ladders (falling far below the targeted 100+) collected this past weekend and only two more drop-off dates this coming weekend, Saturday, February 28th and Sunday, March 1st, to go. Additionally, if transportation of your ladder is an issue, you can call SECCA, 336-725-1904 to arrange to have it picked up on Sunday, instead.
This is a cool project, folks. It’s the very definition of “bricolage” as well as being incredibly green, considering the building materials are all lent to the artist and then returned to their owners. On top of that, SECCA staff and volunteers will record any story, memory or personal anecdote you care to associate with your ladder or with ladders in general, which will be incorporated into the project as well. It’s also a chance to turn one of your ordinary household items (that’s likely collecting dust somewhere) into a surpassingly noble symbol of devotion to the arts in your community.
Speaking of communities, ladder contribution is far from being restricted to Winston Salem alone. Anyone within the reach of my words can collaborate with their own ladder of any type or size and their own story as well. Chances are you’d lend your slacker neighbor a ladder with scarcely a concern, even if he waited a month to return it. Well, Winston (and Triad), SECCA is not just your neighbor, but also a valuable partner in the vibrancy of arts community here in the “City of the Arts”. If you care about what art means to the future of our region: Stand your ladder up. Be counted. “Rise”, and shine!
Drop off this weekend, Feb 28/Mar 1: Old Salem Facilities Building (former Coca Cola Plant) on the corner of Walnut and Poplar Streets, Winston Salem