Throughout the evening we saw over 120 visitors at the Antfarm. (c) Bruce Benedict, 2011
“So far, so imaginative, in works taking the theatrical into innovative territory.—
This third Urban Garden production [in Raleigh] undeniably raises a number of questions that are particularly pertinent at the start of a new year in regional arts. Exactly how many local playwrights get local productions, fully staged—once, much less in triplicate—each year? Just how often do actors in any of our regional cities get to perform in another? How many of last Friday’s theater-goers had never been to Antfarm before—and would never have gone there without the multi-media event Urban Garden staged? How many of them now know about
Guests watch the "Outside Iteration." (c)Bruce Benedict, 2011
Gabrielle Duggan’s fiber work, which the actors interacted with—and wore—in the iteration performed in the studio’s gallery? And what would happen to regional arts—and audiences—if visual, fiber, metal and other gallery artists were regularly welcomed to collaborate, as equals, in interdisciplinary alliances with musical, theatrical and choreographic components, and stage their collaborations in each others’ work and presentation spaces? All of these questions pose different possibilities (and challenges) in terms of how art grows in this community: how it is made, how it’s received, and how different artists—and audiences—can possibly interact and catalyze. It’s clear that the last Friday’s viewing gave us a first glimpse of a set of intriguing alternative paradigms in production and performance that Urban Garden is interested in pursuing. We’ll be closely watching its future work. You should probably do the same.”
-Byron Woods
(For The Independent Weekly, Sept. 6, 2011)
A rehearsal in the Gallery. (c)Amy Quinn, 2011
Artists’ Statment
We began with David Rabinowitz’s text. Because Somewhere Out There was originally written as a radio play, it visually lends itself entirely to the imagination. When the Antfarmers so graciously invited us to install in their building we realized that the first line of the text, “People don’t know much about space,” could carry as many meanings as this ancient warehouse might allow; outer-space, inner-space, small-white-gallery-space, dusty-artist-filled-studio-space. We invite you to experience three iterations of David’s text, each crafted, through the offerings of eight local
Sam Corey and Lucius Robinson on trapeze. (c)Bruce Benedict, 2011
artists, specifically for each space – one in the gallery, one in the open studio, and one outside. Have a chocolate. Have a beverage. Take in, perhaps even purchase an Antfarmer’s art. Enjoy the spaces for yourself.
Curated by ………………………Pj Maske
Text by……………….David Rabinowitz
Fiber Art Installation by ………………………………Gabrielle Duggan
Projection by ………..the performers
Performance by …………….John Jimerson, Paul Kilpatrick, Lucius Robinson, Sam Corey, Alex Young
With generous food donations by PieBird & Escazu
Special thanks to Lucas House, Claire Jacobs, Miles Holst, The Watsons, The Quinns, Liz and the family Kilpatrick, Kathryn LeTrent, CTK Printing, Sarah Powers, Kylie McCormic, David Hill, Sheilagh Duncan, Hallot Parson & Bruce Benedict
Alex Young and Paul Kilpatrick (c)Amy Quinn, 2011
