SHAPE INVADERS @ THE FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA, CENTRAL BRANCH
BENJAMIN VOLTA WITH JERRY JACKSON'S 8TH GRADE
MATH CLASS AT GROVER WASHINGTON JR. MIDDLE SCHOOL
STONEWALLED
Five artists install on the walls of the Free Library of Philadelphia
Opening Reception Thursday May 24th, 5:30 - 7:30PM
H.O.M.E. Page Cafe
Free Library of Philadelphia
1901 Vine Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103-1189With questions such as, “how does the Library tap into our changing population’s use and cultures?” and “how does the Free Library take advantage of the increased art presences on the Parkway?” the Print and Picture Collection accessed the amazing Philadelphia artist community to start participating in this dialogue. The library needed several artists whose work addressed ideas of location, community, space, history, culture and scale. These artists also had to work with the restrictions of the architecture, the building requires non-invasive installations.
P. Timothy Gierschick II, Tara Ivins, Lisa Murch, Benjamin Volta and Mauro Zamora accepted this challenge. Their work collectively speaks to the many questions being posed by the library and the community. The largest and most difficult question is the question of use, who is the library for? Tim and Tara dive into the idea of architecture, Lisa speaks to the use of space, Ben works with the community to make art a vital part of education and Mauro reinforces the power of information. Individually, their approach to use is very personal but together the work is about the multiple uses of the library; to see, to think and to experience.
ABOUT SHAPE INVADERS
“The idea of Shape Invaders is a creative idea based on the old school
video game with a mathematical take on it. We integrated the idea of
math by using ratio and proportion.” Naimah S. “I made my Shape Invader with stickers. They were stickers that are
triangles, squares, pentagons, and hexagons. It connects to math because
the invaders are made from two different shapes using ratio.” Memarl S. “The Shape Invader project consists of regular polygons being put
together to make unworldly things with solid bright colors.” Siani J. “By using simple shapes and overlapping them and forming a new shape, the outcome is a strange creature.” Leangreng L. “I think that the Shape Invader reflects the person who made the
Invader. Deep inside everyone, there is a little monster and they can
show it off by making a Shape Invader.” Chahravaun S. “This reminds me of a building block and how you start off with
something little then add and add to make something big.” Ryan T. “We used ratio and cross multiplying to check each of our Shape Invaders.” Jeremiah S. “We used proportion and ratio for this project. The cool thing is that
you don’t really know what you are making at first until the end when it
comes out to be an alien looking creature.” Eileen R. “Shape Invaders are creepy until you make one yourself.” Cristina V. “We have a math invasion using ratio and propotion.” Cristina V. “Shape Invaders will help me invade the PSSA.” Juan C.
Shape Invaders was made possible through the PAEP Artist in Residency Program:Long Term Residency projects are made possible by The Philadelphia Arts in Education Partnership and the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. Ongoing projects at Grover Washington Jr. Middle School are made possible through support from the School District of Philadelphia and principal Terry Pearsall-Hargett's ongoing initiative to transform the Grover Washington Jr. Middle School into a magnet school for the art.
