Brian Fleetwood
Place/Holding

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A Mobile artist Residency Program from Axle and Georgia O'Keeffe Museum's ART TO G.O.

 

Axle Contemporary and the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum are pleased to announce the Mobile Artist in Residency Program. Brian Fleetwood (Mvskoke Creek) has been tapped as the first Mobile Artist in Residence of the program, with a focus on community identity, jewelry-making, and plastics. 

 

Exhibition at Axle Contemporary
in collaboration with the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum
April 19-May 19, 2024

Opening Reception--Friday April 19th, 5-7 pm
Santa Fe Railyard Plaza
by the Water Tower/Shade Structure
with live vacuum-forming and injection-moulding demonstrations
and a live acoustic guitar set by Jacob Shije
and
at the Railyard Park's Earth Day celebration
in the park, behind SITE Santa Fe
Saturday, April 20th, 10am - 2pm
with live vacuum-forming and injection-moulding demonstrations

visit www.axleart.com for other locations and times.
 

For the past several months artist Brian Fleetwood (Mvskoke Creek) has been the inaugural social engagement artist-in-residence in a program with the new Georgia O'Keeffe Museum's Art to G.O. mobile studio. Axle Contemporary its pleased to partner with this program and to present an exhibition of the works Fleetwood has made in collaboration with participants from Abiquiu, The Institute for American Indian Arts, and The New Mexico School for the Arts.

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Fleetwood’s project addresses community identity and plastics.  Fleetwood engaged community members to join in transforming their recyclable single-use plastics into works of wearable art. In each community, Fleetwood convened meetings to collaboratively design castable jewelry pieces that speak to the identity of each group/place. Back in his studio and with assistance from other IAIA faculty and students, he has created molds for the series of designs and cast a series of jewelry using the recycled plastic collected. Fleetwood has used the plastics collected in each community to make the jewelry designed by that community.

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Now, the finished jewelry will be available in all of the communities through capsule vending machines and visits by the Axle Contemporary mobile artspace. The mobile artspace will also travel around Santa Fe with examples of all the jewelry created, for viewing and for purchase, as well as a display of photographs of the pieces and the process.

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Brian Fleetwood: Brian Fleetwood is a multifaceted artist, a dedicated faculty member at Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA), and a proud member of the Muscogee Creek Nation. With a passion for creativity and community engagement, Brian's artistic journey takes him beyond conventional boundaries. His work not only pushes the boundaries of art but also explores the interconnectedness of culture and sustainability. As the inaugural artist-in-residence for the Mobile Artist in Residency project, Brian brings his unique perspective to the forefront, reshaping the way we perceive art, waste, and community collaboration.
 

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Project Description: Brian Fleetwood’s project Place/Holding, is a community-centered initiative designed to engage and collaborate with diverse communities across various Northern New Mexico locations. At its core, the project seeks to obtain valuable resources without being extractive or transactional, fostering a sense of inclusivity and shared ownership. The project's primary focus is the transformation of waste single-use plastics, collected from the communities it visits, into meaningful, collaboratively designed small objects meant to be worn or carried on the body.
 
To achieve this vision, Brian Fleetwood utilized the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum's art truck Art to G.O.,' an ingenious mobile workspace. This art truck served as a catalyst for community engagement, traveling to different regions to collect plastic waste from local residents.These collected materials were then recycled and crafted into wearable art, such as jewelry. This creative process is not only sustainable but also symbolizes the interconnectedness of the communities involved.
 
In an exciting collaboration, the project partners with Axle Contemporary, an innovative mobile exhibition space also housed within a truck. Axle Contemporary's role is pivotal in showcasing the final art creations, emphasizing the project's commitment to engaging communities in a holistic and inclusive manner. Additionally, the project is a remarkable initiative supported by the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, exemplifying the museum's dedication to fostering creativity and community empowerment. By returning these artistic creations to the communities from which the materials were sourced, the project completes a full circle of resource utilization, creativity, and community empowerment.
 

ART TO G.O.: https://www.okeeffemuseum.org/arttogo/

Axle Contemporary: https://www.axleart.com/