ALTON — To echo Mississippi Earthtones Festival 2020 and honor a rich heritage of diversity, Riverwork artists will spell a message in life size letters on the grassy knoll overlooking the Alton Farmers' and Artisans' Market: SOW DIVERSITY. The work will be showcased from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sept. 19, at Riverfront Park.
Riverwork Project is 300+ feet of Textile Art narrative conceived immediately Post-Ferguson as a Positive Regional Artists’ Response to our Diversity and our Populism, our shared landscape/waterscape/water resources.
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Sixty-plus artists responded to the Call for Art. "We invited black, white, brown artists- male, female, non binary artists- professional, amateur, folk artists - artists of all ages, school children to 90 years+ artists. Some artists found us through Social Media,” recalls Sun Smith-Foret.
The incoming textile squares and panels were assembled by Sun Smith-Foret in the manner of African American Strip Piecing with volunteer artists/stitchers/painters. The Project was unveiled exactly 5 years ago in Riverfront Park, Alton during a Farmers Market and has been exhibited widely in the region at Sheldon Concert Hall and Galleries, St Louis Lambert International Airport, Audubon Center at Riverlands, and Vaughn Cultural Center.
“Reconfiguring the panels into block letters reflects a message of hope in a time of new cultural concerns” says Sun Smith-Foret. “It is an unexpected and eagerly embraced challenge with collaborators Tiffany Cade, Libby Reuter, Penelope Schmidt, and Doug Stickels.”
For more information about Riverwork: http://www.sunsmithforet.com/riverwork
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