Ripple Effect

Currents of Socially Engaged Art

Co-presented with Washington Project for the Arts
Curated by Raquel de Anda

October 25, 2012 - January 13, 2013

AMA ׀ Art Museum of the Americas
201 18th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20006

Hours TUE-SUN 10 AM-5 PM

ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
The Art Museum of the America features a collaborative, participatory and social practice-based projects by artists from Latin America and the United States. The Ripple Effect: Currents of Socially Engaged Art positions artists as architects of change building creative entry points into conversations on broad themes such as environmentalism, social justice, and immigration, while providing poetic and often concrete solutions. Included artists will explore such pressing issues as the environmental blight of illegal dumping, the social stratification of Washington, DC and the ongoing struggle against violence in Mexico.

Works in the exhibition will include transient and temporary urban actions, humorous and subversive social experimentations, and collaborative pedagogy. Each work relates to a specific community, geographic location, or social issue, but also reflects the growing interest among contemporary artists in working outside of the studio, engaging with members of diverse communities, and prioritizing the creation of dialogue as an integral part of their practice. While they may focus on specific issues and localized projects, these artists' work represents vibrant and compelling trends in contemporary art.

ARTIST DISCUSSION VIDEO

EXHIBITION EVENTS

Palas por Pistolas Peace Tree Planting Ceremony | Photo Gallery
Tuesday, December 4
OAS Secretary General José Miguel Insulza leads a tree planting ceremony with one of artist Pedro Reyes' Palas por Pistolas shovels made from firearms taken off the streets in Mexico.

Dream Kites Discussion
Thursday, December 6th at 6pm
Join artist Miguel Luciano as he discusses his project "Chiringas de Paz". Luciano will also explore new developments from the DC installment of his project.

Write Home Soon Workshop
Saturday, December 15 at 10:30am | Corcoran Gallery of Art
Mark Strandquist’s Write Home Soon is an ongoing project that bridges public installation and social practice methods. It includes interactive public installations, city-wide workshops, and an exhibition of participant created post-cards depicting places—mental, physical, natural, metaphoric—that individuals have lost in their lifetime. Postcards are mailed to the Art Museum of the Americas and exhibited as part of Ripple Effect: Currents in Socially Engaged Art (October 25 – January 13), and included in a permanent online collection. Join Strandquist in this interactive workshop which celebrates our local personal histories. Learn about the project, create your own postcard, and deliver it to the exhibition at the nearby Art Museum of the Americas. Free. Pre-registration required.





FEATURED ARTISTS
Annie Albagli (Gaithersburg, MD) and Vadim Ogievetsky (San Francisco, CA)
ASCHOY Collective (La Paz, Bolivia)
Floating Lab Collective (Washington, DC)
Ghana Think Tank (New York, NY)
Olivier Giron (Arlington, VA)
Miguel Luciano (Brooklyn, NY)
Pedro Reyes (Mexico City, Mexico)
Mark Strandquist (Richmond, VA)
Lina Vargas De La Hoz (Silver Spring, MD)