With 50 painted utility boxes on display through The Avenue Concept and artists celebrating Edward Bannister’s legacy at Bannister Gallery, Providence was alive with art during October’s Gallery Night!
Between the 5 free guided tours and people visiting galleries on their own, we had over 400 people attend. The tours attracted a variety of folks, both local and as far as Colorado!
Be sure to keep telling your friends and family about Gallery Night!
“What a unique experience that sets Providence apart from all the other art communities! I was able to learn about impressive and important art spaces by the most incredible tour guide, Larissa. She herself is a wonderful artist and made the tour so enjoyable. I plan to come to future tours and will bring groups next time. I’d love to get involved more with Gallery Night!”
Scrappy — installation by Lindsey Wallace at AS220’s Project Space
Peonies — exhibition of works by Roger Williams at AS220’s Reading Room
October’s stops included an intriguing array of showcases featuring a huge range of mediums, styles, and themes. On the 6pm tour, guests marveled at Linsey Wallace’s otherworldly installation — Scrappy — which transformed AS220’s Project Space with reused fabrics, and used, in Wallace’s words “sculpture, installation, performance and video to explore class disparity, connectivity and ecology.”
AS220’s Reading Room featured the playful figurative paintings and sculptures of Roger Williams, exploring “moments of softness and vulnerability.”
At Bannister Gallery, visitors were immersed in a group exhibition, In Bannister’s Footsteps: A Contemporary Journey, a continuation of a series of community projects initiated by The Bannister Community Art Project (BCAP). This showcase featured the work of five different artists whose work celebrates the spirit of Edward Mitchell Bannister — a renowned 19th century painter and one of the founders of the Providence Art Club.
Victoria Gao, Director of Bannister Gallery, told visitors that some of the artists in this exhibition “snuck” Edward Bannister or references to him into their pieces. The group had a great time looking for the “hidden Bannisters” as they made their way around the gallery! Thai contemporary visual artist and landscape architect, Ponnapa Prakkamakul incorporated the profiles of Bannister and his wife Christiana Carteaux Bannister into the horizon of her piece (featured above, right).
Gallery Night guests celebrated the finale of their evening at The Avenue Concept’s Ripples Artist Recognition ceremony! Every wall of the gallery’s main room was adorned with photographs for A Season of Ripples: A Public Art Infusion – a group exhibition featuring over 50 painted utility boxes located around the city.
“[A] very well organized tour!! It was really enjoyable, didn’t feel pressure to know art just able to appreciate it in its different forms. Great night and I will definitely go again!!!”
The evening also featured an artist talk by Shey “Rí Acu” Rio Rivera. Shey discussed their project, the Providence Cabinet of Curiosities (aka PVD Curio). The PVD Curio is a public art mural by located at 125-135 Washington Street that features meaningful personal possessions/objects from Providence residents. When speaking to the significance of their project, Shey said that the mural contains “things from all corners of the world” — items that tell the stories and journeys of the people who carry them.