If there was ever a building that could use some public art, its 847 Main Street. The artwork that is currently being applied to the building is thanks to a partnership between Buffalo Arts Studio, Albright-Knox Public Arts Initiative, and the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC). The collaboration afforded young artists an opportunity to participate in a two-week art exercise in July via Buffalo Arts Studio’s Jump Start – an initiative where high school and college extension students participated in a poly tab mural production workshop as part of the Hervé Tullet: Shape and Color exhibition at the Albright-Knox Northland site.
Hervé Tullet, Traits points taches giboullage (Lines dots stains scribbles), is located at 847 Main Street.
Jump Start students worked alongside Jump Start Extension fellows, Teaching Assistant Nicolas Delfino and Teaching Artist Andrea Pawarski to create half of the 2,100 square foot mural. The mural itself is composed of 85 panels, which were painted offsite.
During the exercise, the students paid a visit to Albright-Knox Northland site, to glean pertinent information pertaining to the multi-panel polytab mural process from three artists-in-residence: Julia Bottoms, Tricia Butski, and Rachel Shelton. The students also had a chance to meet local artist and muralist Edreys Wajed, who helped to paint an enlightening perspective on the artistic process at hand.
In the end, the art collaboration not only results in a much-needed mural at 847 Main Street, it also equips a number of young artists with the knowhow and skills to accomplish a major work of art. These invaluable insights will be invaluable in years to come, as the public art scene in Buffalo continues to flourish.
To learn more about the students and this collaboration, visit the workshop catalog.
Jump Start students: Faith Danahy, Isaiah Dean, Sarah Durkin, Sadiki Kashindi, Cameron Osborn, Emily Peca, and Serenity Sherry
Jump Start Extension fellows: Isabella Amarante, Lucy Dietrich, Shanti Morrissey, and Emily Quartley