Sidewalk as Commemorative Space
with support from Michelle Wood
Over a period of two days before the opening, senseofplace LAB worked with Michelle to turn the median in front of the gallery into a permanent marker to acknowledge the life of the house. Michelle began by first removing all the weeds and stones in the sidewalk median, and we then planted a tree – that was in a pot from the back of the house – equidistant from a tree already planted there and made a sculptural marker with all the removed stones. Many of the stones etched with people’s names that have had a connection to the house, and the space was ‘launched’ during the closing event.
above photos by Surplus Space / Gabe Flores
median marking: Video clip of Michelle Wood carving ‘Surplus Space’ into the largest rock in the sculptural marker.
Marmalade the 17 year old cat that has been in the house the longest + house + Eric Nielson, project collaborator
This work is one of three parts of:
a commemoration in several parts: an investigation of our relationship to a place (Surplus)
Link to Surplus Gallery page
October 31, 2015 – November 20, 2015
senseofplace LAB was invited by Gabe Flores, the director of Surplus Space – an alternative gallery in Portland – to create a work in October that would mark the final show and the end of the space.
a commemoration in several parts is an investigation into the physical and emotional properties of Surplus Space and the area surrounding it, as well as the relationship Surplus Space has had with its community.
senseofplace LAB invited contributions from the community to create this project. Thru working with the Surplus community over a period of three days, senseofplace LAB created a three-part installation as an artistic reflection on the inside/outside of the space, to tell the layered stories of this place.