The Art Evolution
In an effort to revitalize an evolving community, this website explores the world of public community art, analyzes mosaics as an art form, examines mosaic methods, and contributes a community service-learning art project that will guide participants in conceptualizing, designing and building a mosaic from beginning to end. The result will be a mosaic design that will reflect the history, conflicts and dreams of a community. Although the result of this project is a mosiac, the real magic in this project is the process used throughout that empowers the members by building a community's identity, meaning and spirit.
"The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery." Harold Wilson
The basic premise that art has the ability to reach beyond itself and produce change is not new. Throughout history, art has served public purposes by symbolizing communal identity and expressing these ideas. We experience this type of meaningful symbolism in national art such as the Statue of Liberty and the Vietnam War Memorial. These powerful portrayals have the power transform lives and inspire national pride. The power generated through a community building art is significant as a means to connect people to each other through a symbol of their shared identity and to the place where that identity was created.
It is recommended that the community art project contained within this site should be organized and directed through a community service-learning art society in order to reach its full potential. The society used as an example on this site, The Artery, was originally created within the school system by the art teacher and interested students, and widened its scope to add members from the community.
The goal of this project is to use art as a bridge between citizens and students by articulating and sharing experiences, dreams and struggles, in an effort to encourage change and improvement of their lives and community. In order to reach this goal, the following core values will be expressed:
- Beautify and insure
the preservation of the history of our community through visual art
- Encourage a intergenerational dialogue that will promote a sense of membership and harmonious co-existence among everyone in the community
- Stimulate curiosity and interest in our community’s heritage
- Creatively express the memories, values, traditions, customs, and aspirations of our community.
- Build a sense of genuine identity and unity which will result in a sense of civic pride
The ARTery project will follow the following outline:
- Introduction to the community through a community service voice
- Dialogue which will be recorded.
- Collaboration of design to incorporate the communities memories, traditions, customs and aspirations.
- Compilation of appropriate materials and development of design.
- Installation
