Theaster Gates and his students talk about Gate’s summer course through Washington University in St. Louis. During the class, students worked with Gates to rehab a house in Hyde Park and devise ways in which the house can be used as an arts hub for the neighborhood.

Community projects at the Pulitzer have always raised questions of sustainability. In understanding our institution’s ever-evolving role within the community arts of St. Louis, we are a catalyst, incubator, and (at our best moments) innovator. We work to enhance the already-impressive, effective, and inspiring work of our colleagues by bringing both the strengths of a cutting-edge arts institution dedicated to promoting the personal experience with all arts and social work practice. This means, however, that we are at risk of violating one of the founding principles of community practice by parachuting into a community then exiting quickly, without sustaining commitment to the communities with whom we worked. In principle, we are keenly aware of this and have attempted to balance our institutional identity with ethical community practice by forging partnerships with institutions that have the potential to carry the innovation forward. As this department is coming upon its fourth year, we are still in the process of learning what it means to “carry the innovation forward” and just how much continued support and involvement it might take from the “catalyst”.

Take Theaster Gates in Hyde Park for example. Theaster entered this community through our project, which was a collaboration between Holy Trinity Academy and Succeeding with Reading, a program that had existed at Holy Trinity Academy for a few years preceding Urban Expression, the Pulitzer-catalyzed program inspired by our exhibition, Urban Alchemy/Gordon Matta-Clark. He was captured by the community—particularly, the kids—and became committed to arts-infused community development in the neighborhood. While our exhibitions changed (and the programs with it), we were able to stay involved by co-sponsoring the CityStudioSTL (Somethingness: Ways of Seeing and Building) with the Sam Fox School of Visual Art and Design at Washington University in St. Louis. In so doing, we are figuring out our institution’s role in ensuring that Theaster’s commitment to Hyde Park (through Rebuild Foundation) has a better chance at success. It’s a work in progress, but the brilliant work of Theaster, his employees, and the students of this summer class have provided another huge step toward fulfilling the potential of a beautiful, if neglected neighborhood and doing so by forging partnerships between existing community members and those from the outside. We’ll keep you posted as his work evolves.

South African artist William Kentridge talks about Max Beckmann’s manipulation of physical space and its influence on his work. Max Beckmann’s The Dream is on view in the exhibition Dreamscapes.

On March 2, in the Pulitzer galleries, the Pulitzer and Washington University hosted a panel discussion for graduate students on the artistic practice of William Kentridge. Panelists included: William Kentridge, Artist; John Hoal, Chair of the Urban Design Program and Associate Professor at Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts; Sabine Eckmann, William T. Kemper Director and Chief Curator at Kemper Art Museum; and Francesca Herndon-Consagra, Senior Curator at the Pulitzer. 

If you view some of Kentridge’s animated films, you can see how fitting it was to discuss his art amidst Dreamscapes, which is filled with recurring dreamlike and hallucinatory imagery. In an Art21 video, Kentridge explains that his characters Felix and Soho came to him in a dream and he later found that they were actually self-portraits, as if not he but his distinct dreaming-self had planned it that way. Most of Kentridge’s works are not intentionally connected to dreaming, though they lend themselves to conversations about topics, such as trauma, memory and the ephemeral, which arise in the current exhibition.

Listen to the rest of this fascinating panel discussion on the Pulitzer’s YouTube channel. 

Click here to view the embedded video.

Find out more about Swoon and this video on Saint Louis Art Map.

With an influx of admitted students interested in the relationship between arts and social work coupled with the partnership between GWB and the Pulitzer Foundation maturing, CAI’s inception seems to be written in the stars. CAI’s mission explores building awareness of the role of art in social work and public health practice by creating community connections and providing educational opportunities.

Included in the mission, though not explicitly stated, will be a specially appointed member to serve as liaison between CAI and the Pulitzer. This student member will serve as special appointee to CAI and co-currently serve as the practicum student at the Pulitzer. This specialized appointment will keep GWB’s student body abreast of Pulitzer events and pursue active engagement between both parties. With a strong mission, an impressive future event line-up, and planned sustainability, CAI is opening doors for a renewed discussion of the intersection of art and social work. And although CAI is up and running, there are still challenges to tackle, including many that cannot be undertaken in a single semester.

For many there is a struggle to identify what the intersection of art and social work actually is. And is this intersection restricted to clinical or traditional social work practice? Is there future growth potential for social work in art institutions like the Pulitzer? And in anticipation of the Pulitzer’s panel discussion: is there is a place for art in community development?

The class professor, Mel Watkin, had e-mailed Visitor Services to see if a staff member could speak to her class about specifically The Light Project. The class was made of Seniors, with specializations in areas such as Library Science, Art History, Graphic Design, and Theater.

“They were very enthusiastic and asked a lot of really good questions,” said Elise. 

With a PowerPoint presentation of around 100 images, Elise reported working behind the scenes as a registrar, noting chief details such as the selection of artists and art sites, the insourcing of workers, and the securing of equipment (scaffolding, fencing, projectors, wiring, solar panels, an ice cream machine, sprinkles, etc). Can you imagine keeping track of that? She also emphasized the importance of working with a variety of local consultants: structural engineers, ironworkers, projection specialists, and dairy experts among others.

“I didn’t know anything about solar paneling, so I had to find the best possible authority on that topic.”

Lisa described the public’s overall reaction and the implementation of The Community Light Project. The latter involved partnerships with four neighborhood schools, Washington University, and the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra.

Elise said the UMSL experience was positive for her; it gave her the opportunity to teach as well as to reflect and process all that went into that massive enterprise in the fall of 2009.

A photo from Elise’s PowerPoint presentation

Upon entering the Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts building, it is not quite clear what Tadao Ando’s intention was or how it was accomplished, and the only function you are aware of is that of displaying art.  The space seems so complex in that there are so many options, and you are not sure where to go or if you are even allowed to follow some of the paths available.  As you journey through this space, however, the purpose and function becomes evident. It is this journey that the viewer experiences that seems to fulfill the purpose and serve the function of this amazingly intricate space and it is only at the end of the voyage that the whole purpose is realized.  Through this journey you begin to understand that you experience each space in relation to another; what you perceive comes from what you have just seen before.  The building is imbalanced and asymmetrical and the effect is that you are forced to perceive everything in comparison to the others.  The Relationships between the art and architecture and between you and the art are what the journey is about.

At first things seem so simple with the building being composed of and filled with the basic materials of concrete, light, water, and metal, but their complex use is what provides the space’s with its overall feeling; the use of light and water bring a tranquil feeling to the space while the use of metal and concrete provide an urban feel.  So, right away the space sets the mood, but the purpose is still to be discovered.

As you make your way through the building you are led into a double-height, central space where a wall of windows reveals a soothing scene of a terrace and reflecting pool. Two doors supply entrée to this outer space. The main gallery in the east division presents a constant flow of space that travels nearly the full length of the building. Its light is natural and comes from a row of windows that face the pool and west branch of the building. From here, a stair descends to an impressive double-height area with a narrow skylight. The stairs face a wall that displays the two-paneled Ellsworth Kelly piece titled Blue Black, which was specifically commissioned for this space. The skylight is directly above the Kelly piece and as the light from the window changes so does the painting.  If one were to see this painting during the high point of the day they would see a bright blue panel contrasted with a dark black panel, but if one were to see this painting at night the entire piece would appear to be solid black.  This seemingly simple piece of art that appears to consist of nothing more than a rectangle and two basic and unchanging colors is really a complex member of a grander piece of art with a shifting appearance and range of colors.  This piece of art is not solid in form, but changing; its purpose is to materialize itself differently according to the light.

Part 2 coming soon…

We should have some textual and visual documentation in the “events and programs” section of our website in the coming weeks. Check back soon. In the meantime, I recommend you take a look at the documentation of our Sugimoto symposium on September 30, 2006. The interesting “reflections” on the symposium, written by four graduate students in attendance, had a considerable influence on our decision to invite so many more graduate students to this recent symposium.

Tonight is that event for our French program with Lindenwood University. They’ll be in our galleries, ready to talk about the art work on view. However, the catch is, you have to know (at least a little) French to discuss the works with them. My French is limited to being able to nod and say “oui” so if you can at least do that, you should come. The students put together French descriptions of each of the works they’ll be talking about. Here’s the one for Roni Horn’s Asphere VIII in our Entrance Gallery.

Roni Horn (née en 1955)
Asphère VIII, 1986-90

Acier solide
Collection Hauser et Wirth, Zurich

L’identité est une notion très importante à Roni Horn, qui définit Asphère VIII comme son autoportrait. Il ne s’agit point d’une sphère parfaite, même si la première impression suggère le contraire. Pendant les 5
ans de la création de cette œuvre, l’artiste a travaillé sur d’autres définitions de sa propre identité, comme The Odd Morphology of the Asphère. Horn s’intéresse à l’idée de l’androgynie, alors, quand vous regardez l’oeuvre, pensez à comment elle peut être vue comme masculine et/ou féminine.

If you could understand at least 20% of this, then we’ll see you from 5-7pm tonight.

The students have done a lot of research, prepared descriptions in French about the works on view, and have given each other lots of practice tours. Here are two of the students practicing a few weeks ago in the galleries:

Today, they are giving their first official tour to their peers from Lindenwood. In a few weeks, they’ll really be put to the test by giving tours to high school students enrolled in French classes. Not only will they be talking about art in French, but also they’ll need to communicate on a level so that both university and high school students will be able to engage in discussion with each other. It’s also a great opportunity for the high school students to try out their French skills and talk with older students about majoring in the language.

The Lindenwood students are going to be writing blog entries about the program, so check the University Programs section of our website for their thoughts and more photos soon.

When my French professor asked some of the French majors at Lindenwood University if we would like to learn how to study and give a tour of the Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts, I didn’t know what to think. I love art but modern art, especially in the line of Minimalism like the exhibition we were to learn about, was not my forte. I love most classic scenic paintings and statues of people one can recognize. I did not know anything about Minimalism and the ideas behind the art form. Nor did I know anything about the Pulitzer. However, I decided to be involved in the project knowing only that I love French, I love art, and I love an adventure. It turned out to be quite an adventure!!

Four students, including myself, arrived with our professor not knowing what to expect of the building, the people who work there, or the art. I only knew what the Pulitzer’s website told us about Minimalism and that didn’t allude to the breathtaking experience we had the first time, or the second time, or any of the following times.

The building is filled with light and every corner hides a completely different facet of the building, which one can only discover by exploring. Each gallery is drastically different and each has its own moods and emotions which it shares with the viewer. The art displayed in the galleries adds to the mood, but doesn’t take away from it or hinder the viewer from experiencing the character of the building. The structure is strong and the walls thick, but the light is free to move about the rooms, playing with reflections and shadows on the walls. One feels that the experience of merely being in the building is more than just being in a structure made for art. The structure of the building is art. The building complemented the Minimalist exhibition perfectly, sometimes physically supporting a work, sometimes serving as the space for the light of a work to play in. Studying the works of Flavin, Serra and others was amazing, but I will go back time after time to the Pulitzer to enjoy the building itself, which was apparently designed lovingly with careful thought given to every corner, bit of wall, floor and ceiling.

The wonderful people who work at the Pulitzer have an admirable sense of respect for the art displayed there. Those who can guide an observer on tours have ample knowledge of the art and the building, and respect even ideas that they might not have understood at first, but through careful study grew to respect. They made the Pulitzer the place of peace and aspiration that it is. A building with character is wonderful, but people with character are valuable beyond any structure. Without the people who work at the Pulitzer to keep it as a sanctuary for the arts, it would not be the place that I look forward to seeing again. Besides, without artists, who would have art? The workers at the Pulitzer care about society and helping people, and that is more important than even keeping art in society. Thank you for making our project a successful and beautiful experience! (Rebecca, Lindenwood University student)