For ten days in December, all of America will be united through art and
Baltimore, Maryland helps to make it possible. It's called
The Nomadic Project, and it is covering the country, one state at a
time! The concept originated with two passionate artists, and now one
gallery, museum, or art center in each of the fifty states is
participating. In Maryland, it is the Light Street Gallery that was
chosen to represent the entire state!
When visual artist, Kristin Abraham and musician, Alfonso Llamas saw
the United States divided through war and politics, they realized that
the only way to find unity would be to return to the source. That meant
the land; one nation divided into fifty uniquely different states. So
Abraham and Llamas set out to visit the big cities, small towns, and
National Historic sites that make up this broken nation, and pull it
together with art.
Living out of their orange Honda Element, Abraham and Llamas recently
toured their forty-eighth state. After spending a week in each state,
Abraham responds to her experiences by painting a 24 x 30" canvas. That
painting is carried to the next state, where it is displayed in a
participating gallery until the end of 2006. This process physically
unites the country through art, by blurring state borders.
Light Street Gallery joins The Whistler Museum of Art (Lowell, MA),
American Fine Art (Dallas, TX), Crossroads Contemporary (Santa Fe, NM),
Carla Schmidt Gallery (San Francisco, CA), Habitat Gallery (Denver,
CO), and the Portland Art Center (Portland, OR) along with many other
participating galleries across the country. A complete list of the
galleries can be viewed at www.TheNomadicProject.com.
From December 21st-31st all of America will be participating when one
gallery in each state displays a single painting. "Without the
participation of local communities, this type of project could never be
possible. Their support encourages us that art can bridge the gap
between lands, languages, politics and religion." Abraham shares.
Llamas is recording the experience through original music and video.
While he does not create a song for every state, like Abraham's art, he
is also working on a documentary of this physical and emotional
journey. With an acoustic guitar, he records poetic melodies on a
laptop, right from the road. As the artists travel, they encourage
communities to participate online at www.TheNomadicProject.com, where
the artwork, music, video trailer and even journal entries can be
viewed as the project unfolds.
December will not be the end of The Nomadic Project. In November of
2007, all of the work created during the journey will be united for the
first time in a physical exhibit, scheduled to travel to each region of
the country. The exhibit will begin in Florida and follow the original
path taken by the artists. Any emails that Abraham and Llamas receive
along the way will also become part of this exhibit to illustrate how
the communities influenced them along the way.
As Abraham and Llamas travel through the final ten states, they
continue to record their experiences. Abraham is scribbling through her
fifth sketchbook, while Llamas journals online. These records indicate
how the country has revealed itself to them, and changed the way they
view life, as well as the country. Abraham and Llamas hope that The
Nomadic Project will bring excitement and inspiration to all those who
call this land their home.
For more information and interview opportunities, please contact
Alfonso Llamas at TheNomadicProject@gmail.com. To learn more
about Light Street Gallery and their participation, contact Linda Krensky at 410-234-0047, or visit
www.lightstreetgallery.com.