Information Session For New Public Artwork

275 East Avenue,Rochester NY 14604

11 November, 2022

Description

In 2021 a public art competition was organized in order to commission an iconic artwork that represents, welcomes, or supports the LGBTQ+ community. The project is located at Union Square on the eastern gateway to downtown Rochester, NY between East Avenue and Broad Street. After an extensive process by a diverse selection committee organized by Rochester Contemporary Art Center, artist Carrie Gault (www.carriegault.com) was chosen to create her artwork “Heartline”. The proposed ceramic tile collage will depict the histories, memories and current lives of the LGBTQ+ community in Rochester. The artist is now conducting research and community engagement sessions to gather materials and stories to inform the creation of the artwork. "A message from Carrie Gault" Come meet me and share your memories! Who am I: I am the artist commissioned to create a new piece for your community. Much of my recent work explores the subtleties between memory and history, and how these nuances can shape very different narratives about the past. I explore these themes primarily through mosaic and handmade tile work. Most of the content for my art comes directly from the community - through archives, interviews, and personal memorabilia. How you can participate: For this project, there will be both mosaic work and handmade tile. The handmade tile panels will depict memories of Rochester’s LGBTQIA community, collected from you, (photos, letters, mementos, etc.) and composed in a “heartline” that illustrates the rich layers of this community, both past and present. What I need is input from you. I will be on site ready to document items you wish to share. I will also be available to historians, archivists, and activists that may have larger collections to direct me towards. I will also give a brief presentation on my work and the ideas and images that influenced the piece for Rochester. Come by and introduce yourself and educate me about your city and your community. Who should attend: LGBTQ leaders, historians, archivists, activists, and anyone else that has a memory they wish to share, or anyone that is curious about the art. I look forward to meeting you, and learning more about Rochester’s rich queer history!