The Visual Dialogues Project
A Missouri Non-profit Corporation
6201 Arsenal Street
                                                                    St. Louis, Missouri 63139
(314) 968-6868
PROJECTS, 1999

Left Bank Books Installation
October 29 - December 6, 1999
The major project for 1999 was an installation of artwork at Left Bank Books. These panels were a culmination of public workshops and small groups who dialogued with each other using small-format panels (4' x 12"), index cards, and magnets.

VDP installed an interactive arts-based "dialogue" on the walls of Left Bank Books downstairs gallery October 29 - December 5, 1999. The dialogue began with "seed" images from artists who  worked together to create images of social concern to themselves. The panels were mounted on magnets so they could be moved around on the walls. The public was invited to make both artistic (panel) responses and "graffiti" responses, using index cards and magnets at the gallery. Panel kits were on sale at Left Bank Books for a nominal fee.

Many of the initial Left Bank Book panels were about experiences of racism. Because this was a major theme, VDP decided to initiate a dialogue on racism which quickly became the beginning of TREC: Talking Race Engaging Creatively, a collaboration with FOCUS St. Louis' Bridges Across Racial Polarization(r). In 2000, FOCUS and VDP were awarded a seed grant from Regional Arts Commission to initiate a pilot program for TREC.

The exhibit opened on October 29.

Dialogue Workshops:

Interested artists were invited to attend one or both dialogue workshops at Storefront Studio on Sunday, August 22 and September 12 from 2-4 pm. These workshops helped the artists begin a process of art dialogues with each other. Panels for the initial installation were selected from these dialogues by Jurors Ann Haubrich of the Regional Arts Commission and Jonathon Smith, poet, musician and English Literature instructor at Washington University.

The preliminary dialogues can be viewed by clicking on Preliminary Discussions below.
The fully installed exhibit can be viewed by clicking on LEFT BANK EXHIBIT.

For more information about Visual Dialogues Project, call Carol Lark at (314)968-6868.

VDP is a Missouri not-for-profit corporation and welcomes participation by the public.

Millennium Project, September 25, 1999
Tower Grove Park, St. Louis, MO
VDP constructed interactive arts-based dialogue booth and graffiti wall at the Millennium Project in Tower Grove park Saturday afternoon, September 25. Participants could create visual responses to the Millennium events and tack them to a serpentine arrangements of  2'x3' folding panels.

The Millennium Project was a unique day-long event that began at Cahokia Mounds at sunrise. Participants were guided through a 1000 year odyssey of regional history and culture, culminating in a festival at Tower Grove Park Saturday afternoon and evening.  Millennium Project was coordinated by Libby Reuter, Washington University School of Fine Arts.

 

JOIN US!

We invite your participation in any or all of our activities at any level you would like. To get involved, please call VDP at (314) 968-6868.  We plan to publish a newsletter in early September. To be on our mailing list, be sure to leave your address on the voicemail.

We welcome cash, materials and labor donations. We are a Missouri not-for-profit corporation with our IRS tax-exempt papers in process.
 

LEFT BANK EXHIBIT           "Preliminary Discussions      TREC: Talking Race, Engaging Creatively
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The Visual Dialogues Project webpages are sponsored by The Art Therapy Center