Art and Social Context Notes
Rick Lowe: Art and the Social Context
Introduction
Rick Lowe, a Houston-based artist and community organizer, is known for his project Row Houses, a significant example of social practice art.
In February 2014, Lowe received a MacArthur Genius Fellowship.
Lowe gave a talk, "Art and the Social Context," at the U of O on May 2, 2016, sponsored by Design Create Change.
Defining Social Practice Art
Lowe considers his work as more "social and community engaged art" rather than just "social practice art."
His work focuses on issues relevant to specific communities.
Social practice art may not always be community-based but operates within the broader social realm.
Social Sculpture: The Foundation
The term "social sculpture" comes from German artist Joseph Beuys.
Beuys defined social sculpture as the way individuals shape and mold the world.
Beuys advocated that everyone is an artist because everyone shapes the world around them.
Social sculpture allows for practical applications and the ability to "sculpt" a community or aspect of the world.
It carries poetic and symbolic implications.
The Genesis of Socially Engaged Art
Lowe's formal training was in painting but he moved into sculpture.
He was interested in the social implications of art from the beginning.
He aimed to connect his art with people of color, low-income individuals, and issues affecting disadvantaged communities.
Early projects included installations for Amnesty International.
A Turning Point: The High School Student's Critique
After creating an installation addressing police brutality, Lowe received critical feedback from a high school student.
The student said, "If you're an artist, why can't you create a solution?"
This critique prompted Lowe to focus on creating art with direct practical applications.
From Theory to Practice
Lowe closed his studio and began researching, discovering Joseph Beuys's work.
He volunteered with a neighborhood organization and joined a tour of dangerous places in the community.
The tour identified a blighted area with 22 shotgun houses as the "worst place" in the neighborhood.
The Significance of Shotgun Houses
Inspired by artist John Biggers, who depicted shotgun houses in his paintings, Lowe learned about their historical and cultural significance.
Biggers explained that shotgun houses originated in West Africa, moved through the West Indies, and played a vital role in building communities.
Lowe merged the poetic mythology of shotgun houses with Beuys's concept of social sculpture.
Project Row Houses: The Beginning
Lowe questioned how to transform the shotgun houses to show their value while incorporating a practical program.
This led to the creation of Project Row Houses, with the mission to transform community through art and African American history and culture.
Project Row Houses aims to be a catalyst for community transformation.
Realizing the Mission
The initial goal was to transform the decrepit area into something symbolic, embodying the values represented in John Biggers's paintings.
Biggers identified five key components of successful shotgun house communities: relevant architecture, art/culture, education, social safety net, and economic sustainability.
Project Row Houses worked to unfold these components within the context of the buildings.
Key Components
Architecture: Cleaning up existing houses to honor their natural beauty.
Arts Program: Engaging local and international artists to create works in the neighborhood.
Education: Providing family-based programming with educational plans and objectives for every household.
Social Safety Net: Starting with transitional housing for single mothers and expanding to low-income rental housing.
Economic Sustainability: Incubating small businesses and engaging in real estate to drive economic growth.
The Importance of Art
Art adds symbolic and poetic layers to practical needs, making projects more meaningful.
Unlike typical housing development driven by financial gain, Project Row Houses prioritizes the symbolic impact on the community.
The goal is to create opportunities for reflection and thoughtfulness.
Case Example: Housing Impact
Designing housing that connects to the architecture of the shotgun house represents a community's history and future.
This ignites a sense of history and purpose within the community and its leadership.
Community members look to this type of housing as a model for future development.
Impact Beyond the Community
While the symbolic impact resonates within the community, people from outside, especially those interested in art, also appreciate the symbolic nature of the project.
African Americans often understand the significance of the shotgun houses and the challenges facing African American communities.
The presence of these houses, along with new housing that reflects their history, holds great symbolic value.
Addressing Gentrification
Lowe focuses on creating balance rather than solely trying to slow gentrification, which is driven by economic forces.
He aims to work with real estate investors interested in neighborhoods with meaning and value.
The goal is to elevate non-economic values alongside market forces.
The Role of Art and Recognition
Projects like Project Row Houses highlight the intrinsic value of non-economic qualities, often requiring recognition like a genius grant to gain broader public attention.
Lucy Laparde's description of land art, focusing the untrained eye on the vastness of the landscape, applies similarly to art in a social context.
Art in social context, by highlighting specific aspects, allows people to think about broader issues in their neighborhoods.
Spreading Influence
Similar projects are emerging in places like New Orleans.
Lowe has mentored artists like Mark Bradford and Theaster Gates.
This work promotes collaboration and involves people from diverse backgrounds, fostering creativity and challenging conventional professional training.
Lessons Learned
The key lesson learned is that "you can't do it alone," emphasizing the importance of trust.
Trusting others, especially when coming from a traditional art background where the artist controls the creation, is crucial.
Honoring the knowledge and skills of others and fostering collaboration are essential for success.
It is important to instill a sense of trust in supporters to allow for messy and unlikely collaborations to come together. Collaboration enhances the ability to achieve goals.
Rick Lowe, a Houston-based artist and community organizer, is known for his project Row Houses, a significant example of social practice art. In February 2014, Lowe received a MacArthur Genius Fellowship. Lowe gave a talk, "Art and the Social Context," at the U of O on May 2, 2016, sponsored by Design Create Change.
Lowe considers his work as more "social and community engaged art" rather than just "social practice art." His work focuses on issues relevant to specific communities. Social practice art may not always be community-based but operates within the broader social realm.
The term "social sculpture" comes from German artist Joseph Beuys. Beuys defined social sculpture as the way individuals shape and mold the world. He advocated that everyone is an artist because everyone shapes the world around them. Social sculpture allows for practical applications and the ability to "sculpt" a community or aspect of the world. It carries poetic and symbolic implications.
Lowe's formal training was in painting but he moved into sculpture. He was interested in the social implications of art from the beginning. He aimed to connect his art with people of color, low-income individuals, and issues affecting disadvantaged communities. Early projects included installations for Amnesty International.
After creating an installation addressing police brutality, Lowe received critical feedback from a high school student. The student said, "If you're an artist, why can't you create a solution?" This critique prompted Lowe to focus on creating art with direct practical applications.
Lowe closed his studio and began researching, discovering Joseph Beuys's work. He volunteered with a neighborhood organization and joined a tour of dangerous places in the community. The tour identified a blighted area with 22 shotgun houses as the "worst place" in the neighborhood.
Inspired by artist John Biggers, who depicted shotgun houses in his paintings, Lowe learned about their historical and cultural significance. Biggers explained that shotgun houses originated in West Africa, moved through the West Indies, and played a vital role in building communities. Lowe merged the poetic mythology of shotgun houses with Beuys's concept of social sculpture.
Lowe questioned how to transform the shotgun houses to show their value while incorporating a practical program. This led to the creation of Project Row Houses, with the mission to transform community through art and African American history and culture. Project Row Houses aims to be a catalyst for community transformation.
The initial goal was to transform the decrepit area into something symbolic, embodying the values represented in John Biggers's paintings. Biggers identified five key components of successful shotgun house communities: relevant architecture, art/culture, education, social safety net, and economic sustainability. Project Row Houses worked to unfold these components within the context of the buildings.
Cleaning up existing houses to honor their natural beauty is an example of architecture. Engaging local and international artists to create works in the neighborhood is an example of arts program. Providing family-based programming with educational plans and objectives for every household is an example of education. Starting with transitional housing for single mothers and expanding to low-income rental housing is an example of social safety net. Incubating small businesses and engaging in real estate to drive economic growth is an example of economic sustainability.
Art adds symbolic and poetic layers to practical needs, making projects more meaningful. Unlike typical housing development driven by financial gain, Project Row Houses prioritizes the symbolic impact on the community. The goal is to create opportunities for reflection and thoughtfulness.
Designing housing that connects to the architecture of the shotgun house represents a community's history and future. This ignites a sense of history and purpose within the community and its leadership. Community members look to this type of housing as a model for future development.
While the symbolic impact resonates within the community, people from outside, especially those interested in art, also appreciate the symbolic nature of the project. African Americans often understand the significance of the shotgun houses and the challenges facing African American communities. The presence of these houses, along with new housing that reflects their history, holds great symbolic value.
Lowe focuses on creating balance rather than solely trying to slow gentrification, which is driven by economic forces. He aims to work with real estate investors interested in neighborhoods with meaning and value. The goal is to elevate non-economic values alongside market forces.
Projects like Project Row Houses highlight the intrinsic value of non-economic qualities, often requiring recognition like a genius grant to gain broader public attention. Lucy Laparde's description of land art, focusing the untrained eye on the vastness of the landscape, applies similarly to art in a social context. Art in social context, by highlighting specific aspects, allows people to think about broader issues in their neighborhoods.
Similar projects are emerging in places like New Orleans. Lowe has mentored artists like Mark Bradford and Theaster Gates. This work promotes collaboration and involves people from diverse backgrounds, fostering creativity and challenging conventional professional training.