In collaboration with The Lux conversion (the renovation of a defunct office building into a groundbreaking residential living and multi-use development in downtown Wichita), artists Elizabeth Stevenson and Kent Williams have mounted a series of exterior projection sequences on the east wall of the building, at the northwest corner of Market and First Streets. This video art series also acts as a monthly public progress update; following the evolution of this construction site, and offering the viewer a dynamic glimpse into the constantly-changing spaces within. The projection events celebrate the multi-disciplinary exploration of the various facets of the building process, from the practical concerns of the architects and contractors, to the inherent aesthetic qualities of the materials and structure itself.
The first projection approached the project as a whole, examining the initial state of coexistence between the site’s built and natural environments. Imagery reflected the process of building acquisition and documentation of existing conditions.The installation includes a sculptural component, two illuminated sidewalk-based pieces created from objects salvaged from the building. At this stage in the demolition phase, office equipment and fixtures are being released, and the artists found the contrast between the two materials that appeared most ubiquitous, very high quality air diffusers/light fixtures and unremarkable plastic plants, to be worthy of note. The audio component, a sound-scape embedded in the installation, was designed by Torin and Georgia Andersen.
A more in-depth exploration of materials was offered at The Renfro Gallery in October 2012, in an exhibition entitled Mining the Modern.
Stereo-Optics at the Fisch Haus, November 2012
A simultaneous projection screened at the Fisch Haus, at 524 S. Commerce St., in the context of a larger exhibition inspired by The Lux transformation, entitled ReMades.
Stereo-Optics at The Lux, January 2013
With the project is nearing completion of the demolition phase at this point, January's projection focuses on the ephemerality of the built environment. As a building stands in stasis, devoid of human occupation or utilities, it begins to move towards a more organic condition, where occupancy, power, water and air flow are generated by natural forces. The audio component was available both on-site, as well as on vehicle radios that were within range.
