Franklin Street Works, a non-profit contemporary art space in Stamford, presents “Collective Action Archive: Redux,” an exhibition exploring the intersections between art and activism, featuring materials from dozens of U.S. artist/activist collectives.
— an announcement from Franklin Street Works
Photos, videos, artworks, pamphlets and texts by more than 3-dozen artist/activist collectives from across the United States will be on view, including contributions from longtime collectives such as ABC No Rio, the Guerrilla Girls, Paper Tiger TV, subRosa, and Temporary Services.
It is on view at Franklin Street Works Feb. 9 through Sept. 8, 2019 and launches with with a free, public reception from 5 to 8 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 9.
Photo from Franklin Street Works website
Collective Action Archive: Redux is on view at Franklin Street Works February 9 through September 8
The exhibition expands on the 2013 show, “Collective Action Archive,” which was curated collaboratively by Franklin Street Works with Purchase College, SUNY and then was accessioned into the college’s library archive.
The updated group exhibition features materials from the Library’s archive along with new items from collectives who were not included in or had not yet formed at the time of the 2013 show. In the spirit of a living archive, new contributions will be added throughout the exhibition’s run.
Curated by Franklin Street Works creative director Terri C Smith, “Collective Action Archive: Redux” is rooted in two past exhibitions curated by the Stamford art space.
The first, “Working Alternatives: Breaking Bread, Art Broadcasting and Collective Action,” included a 2012 call to more than 90 artist/activist collectives. For the show, the materials were presented in archive boxes with only a portion on display.
The second, the 2013 “Collective Action Archive,” at Purchase College Passage Gallery, opened the archive boxes to create a vibrant exhibition.
Co-curated by Smith and her FSW colleague Sandrine Milet in collaboration with students and faculty from the Media Studies Department at Purchase College, it featured materials gathered from artist/activist collectives.
When the exhibition closed, its contents were accessioned into the Purchase College Library archive, becoming a resource for students and scholars. That archive along with new, borrowed materials will form the 2019 exhibition “Collective Action Archive: Redux.”
- Exhibiting artist/activist collectives include: ABC No Rio, Artists Against Apartheid, Big Tent, Codify Art, Conflict Kitchen, Critical Making, fierce pussy, Floating Lab Collective, Futurefarmers, Ghana Think Tank, Guerrilla Girls, Guffey Hollow, Howling Mob Society, Illegal Art, Just Seeds, Kitchen Sink, Knifeandfork, Lucky Pierre, M12 Collective, Meme Rider Media Team, National Bitter Melon Council, Okay Mountain Collective, Paper Tiger TV, Philly Stake, Preemptive Media, Publication Studio, RAGGA, Regional Relationships, Second Front, Students of the African Diaspora, subRosa, Temporary Services, The Pinky Show, W.A.G.E., and Work Progress Collective.
Getting There: Franklin Street Works is located at 41 Franklin St. in downtown Stamford, Connecticut. Click HERE for more on directions and parking.
Accessibility: Franklin Street Works has an ADA compliant ramp to our back door on the first floor and is accessible from Franklin St. Once inside there is an elevator and bathrooms are spacious but do not have grab bars.
Upcoming Programs
Programming for “Collective Action Archive: Redux” will include talks by exhibiting collectives, informal presentations by regional activist organizations, and discussion groups about the often contradictory relationship between social activism and the arts.
Unless otherwise noted, events are at Franklin Street Works:
Opening Reception
for “Collective Action Archive: REDUX” — READ MORE
Saturday, Feb. 9, from 5 to 8 p.m.
Artist Talk: T.J. Dedeaux-Norris
UConn-Stamford Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies program and Franklin Street Works present a talk by artist T.J. Dedeaux-Norris (fka Tameka Jenean Norris). — READ MORE
UConn Stamford, Room 108
Monday, Feb. 11, from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. with Q & A until 6 p.m.
Launch Party
for “Resource Guide for Women, Girls & Fairfield County Communities
Franklin Street Works will host a launch party for a resource booklet collaboratively authored with Fairfield County’s Community Foundation’s Fund for Women & Girls and UConn-Stamford Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program. — READ MORE
Wednesday, Feb. 27, from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Knifeandfork’s Brian House, Sue Huang in Conversation
Brian House and Sue Huang of the internationally exhibiting media arts collaborative Knifeandfork will discuss their practice. Sponsored by Stamford Community Arts Partnership Program (CAPP) grant. READ MORE
Saturday, March 9, from 4 to 6:00 pm
Terri Smith in Conversation with Shaun Slifer
Shaun Slifer, a member of the international printmaking collective, Justseeds, and Franklin Street Works Creative Director, Terri C Smith will discuss the collective’s work. A printing demonstration by Slifer at Norwalk’s Center for Contemporary Printmaking is also in the works for March 31st! Sponsored by Stamford CAPP grant. — READ MORE
Saturday, March 30, from 4 to 6 p.m.
Working Artists for a Greater Economy (W.A.G.E.) workshop
W.A.G.E. (Working Artists for a Greater Economy) member Lise Soskolne will talk about the the growing political potential of artistic labor. Stay tuned for more information on this event. Sponsored by CAPP grant.
Saturday, April 6, from 4 to 6 p.m.
About Franklin Street Works
Franklin Street Works is a not-for- profit contemporary art space whose mission is to manifest contemporary art in a professional and welcoming setting. Franklin Street Works aims to broaden community participation in the arts, contribute to a larger arts dialogue, and cultivate emerging artists.
To date, the organization has exhibited the work of more than 350 artists, curated 30 original exhibitions, and organized approximately 150 programs, including talks, tours, and performances.
Their work has received national and regional support, including two multi-year grants from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts as well as regional grants from Fairfield County’s Community Foundation, Connecticut Office of the Arts, New Canaan Community Foundation, among others.
Exhibitions have been recognized with positive reviews in major publications such as Artforum online, Art in America online, Art Papers, The Brooklyn Rail, Huffington Post, Hyperallergic, Art New England, Modern Painters and Two Coats of Paint.