Each year, Art in Odd Places (AiOP) produces a thematic public art festival along 14th Street from Avenue C to the Hudson River in New York City. From October 1-10, the 2011 edition of AiOP will center on the theme of RITUAL, including ideas of ceremony, habituation, myth, obsession, superstition and liturgy.
Walker Evans stated that, “New Yorkers are members of every race and nation of the earth. They are of all ages, of all temperaments, of all classes, of almost every imaginable occupation. Each, also, is an individual existence, as matchless as a thumbprint or a snowflake.” Inspired by this great American photographer and in homage to the amazing energy, beauty, and variety of New Yorkers, a special seemetellme series titled Fourteenth Street Saints for AiOP 2011 was created.
For this series hundreds of amazing New Yorkers were clandestinely photographed along 14th Street. Then 500 collages were created, incorporating their portraits into accordion-style “prayer” books, complete with gold paint, “rosary” beads, glitter, found papers and objects. These books were then placed, like relics, inside small clear plastic boxes backed by magnets. 50 of these works will be installed daily along 14th Street on scaffolds, signs, subway stations, and light poles, for passers-by to admire, take, and own.
(See the map of placements below.)
The acquiring of any work of art is a very personal and exciting process. When a one of these works is discovered the collector is asked to comment below or email a note to seemetellme@gmail.com or tweet using the hash tag #seemetellme.