1708 GALLERY’S INLIGHT RICHMOND SET TO LIGHT-UP THE NIGHTFriday night, September 5th, 2008 will be a night to remember.
Beginning at dusk and running until midnight, 1708 Gallery, one of the oldest artist-run galleries in the nation, will present “InLight RICHMOND,” a light-inspired, juried outdoor contemporary art event that celebrates the gallery’s 30th anniversary and the revitalization of Richmond’s downtown.
Featuring multi-media installations and performances, the event will be free and open to the public. InLight Richmond is modeled after Paris’s “Nuit Blanche”, a contemporary arts event that has spread in popularity in major cities across Europe and Canada. Another inspiration is Turin, Italy’s multi-installation, light-based public art exhibition, Luci d’Artista. “Late night, light-focused celebrations of contemporary art have been great successes in Paris and other major cities,” says Tatjana Beylotte, 1708 Gallery’s new Executive Director. “One exciting night in September, art and community will connect and interact. Art will move out of the gallery and transform parts of Broad Street into a giant canvas that everyone can access, discuss, and enjoy.”
Shining Light on International Artists & Downtown The theme is light. Storefronts, doorways, walls, rooftops, parking lots, and even the median along blocks of West Broad Street will provide sites for a range of multi-media art works presented in the dark of night. “Our dream is for Broad Street to become a site for light-inspired art that transforms our city and simulates dialogue about the importance of public art,” says Maureen Neal, Co-Chair of InLight Richmond, along with Suzanne Hall. The night of the event, the 100 through 400 blocks of West Broad Street will be closed to vehicular traffic, truly allowing the street to come alive with people and art. Earlier this year, the gallery issued a call for entries. 1708 received more than 44 proposals from artists across the globe, some from as far away as Tasmania, London and Quebec and Fargo, South Dakota. Artists submissions will be evaluated and selected by Ashley Kistler, curator at The Visual Arts Center of Richmond; Emily Smith, Curatorial Fellow in Modern and Contemporary Art at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, and Allison Andrews, artist member of 1708 Gallery, among others.
Public Art as Outdoor Spectacle In addition to site-specific light-inspired artworks, InLight RICHMOND will also feature roving performances, dance, music, and video projections. A particular element will be an outdoor spectacle of moving sculpture. Students from Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of the Arts will participate, as well as artists from throughout Central Virginia and beyond. The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is planning an early evening children’s event as a part of other neighborhood events. “InLight RICHMOND is a big vision for Richmond and exactly the kind of event that will showcase Richmond’s vital creative community against the dramatic streetscape of Richmond’s historic downtown. An annual event such as InLight RICHMOND will contribute street level vitality to downtown just as Broad Appétit, Richmond’s recent food and wine tasting event did,” says Bill Pantele, President of City Council for the City of Richmond.
Sponsors Venture Richmond, a producing partner for InLight, is an organization that engages business and community leaders in partnering with the City of Richmond to enhance the vitality of downtown. Richmond CenterStage Foundation will sponsor a stage to anticipate its opening in the fall of 2009. Additional sponsors include Martin Branding Worldwide, Pyramid Studios, and University of Richmond Modlin Center for the Arts. The Richmond Times-Dispatch is a media partner. “We’re still seeking additional sponsors for a variety of programming components,” says Beylotte. “This is an exciting and rare opportunity for businesses in Virginia to shine a light on their product or service while supporting the arts and Richmond’s arrival on the world art scene. It is time for Richmond to have an annual celebration of contemporary art, and we have been delighted with the enthusiasm for this event.”
High Resolution Images available upon request.
Please contact Jolene Giandomenico at jgiandomenico@1708gallery.org
About the Gallery
1708 Gallery is Virginia’s first alternative non-profit gallery and one of the oldest artist run galleries in the country committed to expanding the understanding, development, and appreciation of contemporary art. Through diverse exhibitions, educational programs and services for artists and the community, the gallery provides a forum for dialogue that contributes to the development and creation of culture. 1708 Gallery is located at 319 West Broad Street, three blocks east of Belvidere.
Please visit us online at www.1708gallery.org. 1708 is open Tuesday-Friday, 11-5; and Saturday from 1-5.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT 1708 Gallery AT (804) 643-1708
photo credit: Amie Oliver
Nuit Blanche 2004, Paris, FR at the Hotel de Ville.
Nuit Blanche 2004, Paris, FR at the Hotel de Ville.
