To the masses who have little to no experience or interaction with art, the concept of conceptually thinking about art is, well, quite foreign and not a part of their routine.
But if I have observed anything in my years in Grand Rapids, there are opportunities all around us that enable us to interact with this so-called art world, and in unique and fascinating ways. And sometimes, in conceptually rich venues like the one happening on Friday night.
One group that has been presenting such opportunities for this intersection is our very own
Civic Studio, an experimental studio project started by GVSU Professor of Art Paul Wittenbraker in 1999. (It was finally offered as a GVSU course in their new Visual Studies BFA program in 2006.)
Since its launch, Wittenbraker has opened temporary studios all over our city in the hopes that by choosing locations that resonate within the memory of our culture, his students will engage in works of art that are about removing the barriers between the public and the artist and respond to the culture they find over the course of a semester. And it has worked beautifully over the years.
At the launch of their new studio space at the site of the West Side’s former iconic eatery, The American Bread Company, Civic Studio and The Office of Public Culture, along with his GVSU students, invite the public to a free lecture by Chicago and Ox-Bow’s
Eric May, an artist who has long explored the connection between art and food in his own work.
May has not started an inventive theoretical food truck called E-Dogz from which he showcases inspired street food recipes called Mongrel Cuisine. Rather, he started another monthly dining situation titled "The Piranha Club," a revolving door of chefs and artists who explore together a world of cuisine options with the public.
May’s lecture in the newest Civic Studio space will help set the tone as the GVSU students begin the research around this iconic, but defunct restaurant space.
“From the beginning, it was very obvious that we could not simply ignore the history of the bakery and the role it has played in the West Side community for over a hundred years,” said Krzysztof Lower, one of Wittenbraker’s students who has organized May’s appearance. “We quickly came to the realization that it is crucial for us to understand the role of food in the local culture, in order to respond with rich, engaged artwork. As a result, our inquiries often deal with the overlap of food and art so that we can better understand the context within which we are working."
I never promised this would be light stuff and yet, it might be just what your intellect is craving.
Wittenbraker likens what to expect as a return to “slow culture,” so be sure to make an effort to come see Eric May and tune into a voice that is sure to inspire and satisfy your appetite. (The American Bread Company is a non-working former restaurant reborn as a temporary art space, so don’t come expecting to carb up on homemade backed goods. If you are hungry after the lecture, please skip down the neighborhood street to Little Mexico for margaritas and carne asada.)
Admission: Free