An exhibition and conference focused on street art and its role in engaging public space.
The artwork of 18 infuential street artists from around the world will food the streets of Atlanta as part of a coordinated effort to engage the public via street art. Living Walls, The City Speaks, a conference set to take place on the weekend of August 13, 2010 at Atlanta’s Eyedrum Gallery, has put out an international call for artists to submit posters to three locations on three continents. These posters will ultimately be sent to Atlanta to be wheat-pasted on public walls and at Eyedrum. With many more artists expected to take part in this event worldwide, come August, Atlanta’s urban landscape will have a more vibrant, international feel. Along with changing the urban landscape by fooding the streets with art, the Living Walls conference has set out to highlight a number of problems facing the city. Living Walls is not just a showcase of art, but also an attempt to provoke much-needed dialogue. The organizers of Living Walls have also put out a call for speakers, attempting to provide a platform for local people to speak out about their neighborhoods and the use of public space. The conference will also bring in provocative keynote speakers, like Jordan Seiler of the Public Ad Campaign, famously known for committing the largest single act of anti-advertising to date. Atlanta’s Beltline has drawn the attention of developers and new urbanists nationwide. So much so, in fact, that the largest annual conference on urbanism, the CNU18, is scheduled to happen here in Atlanta in May. Living Walls seeks to provide a counterpoint to the CNU, whose expensive entry fee insures a limited audience of developers and academics. Living Walls is addressed to the public. It is completely free of charge, open to participation, and destined to be a thought-provoking event. In the truest sense, Living Walls is a grassroots colloquium recognizing that local people’s perspectives need to be heard on these issues and not just that of developers. Our intentions are simply to broadcast to the attendees a wide spectrum of ideas about public space. We hope that everyone leaves the event looking at the city, its walls, and how we interact with space differently. Furthermore, we hope to make Atlantans aware that they share challenges with urban dwellers across the globe. More information, along with a list of artists and speakers confrmed for the event can be found on: http://livingwallsconference.com
Check out their Facebook page, Twitter, and website. Should be an amazing event, can’t wait!