Article courtesy of Catherine L. Johnson, Guest Contributor
If you have been to Lowertown recently, there is no doubt that you have noticed the striking black and white portraits featured on buildings throughout Lowertown Saint Paul. Portraits, measuring 53”x 36”, of 180 Lowertown artists can be attributed to the Inside Out Lowertown project.
Inside Out Lowertown is solely and completely an artist generated project and is an exemplification of the artist as a social entrepreneur. The project is in participation with the Global Inside Out project, based in Paris (learn more here). This local project is on alignment with the defined Global Inside Out mission statement. There was no grant to provide funding; all funding came from donations from volunteers and from partnerships with both Lowertown businesses and artists.
The selection of the Lowertown artists, whose portraits were taken by Lowertown photographers, was a formal nomination process. Lowertown artists nominated one another for this honor in this evanescent street performance project to provide visibility of the culture makers who create in Lowertown. Inside Out Lowertown was co-founded and organized by Rachel Wacker, Nancy Reardon and Gail Groop.
The timing of the Inside Out Lowertown project is powerful and poignant with the new St. Paul Saints stadium and the Metro Green Line redefining what was once a place, a harbor, of necessary solitude for artists’ creative exploration.
A public celebration of Inside Out Lowertown will be hosted by the Black Dog Coffee and Wine Bar, 308 E. Prince St., on Thursday, May 28 from 7-10 p.m.
Learn more at the Inside Out Lowertown website.
Here are just a few of the Lowertown artists featured in the Inside Out Lowertown project:
Artist: Pippi Ardennia/ Singer, songwriter, founder of PipJazzLine
Portrait location: Lowertown Commons
Volunteer portrait photographer: Mike McColl
Artist: Nicole Brending/ Writer and film director, jewelry maker
Portrait location: Northern Warehouse
Volunteer portrait photographer: Justin Hedstrom
Artist: Christina Chang/ Curator at Minnesota Museum of American Art
Portrait location: The Bulldog Lowertown
Volunteer portrait photographer: Patrick Clancy
Artist: Joshua Evans/ Rapper, musician
Portrait location: The Tilsner
Volunteer portrait photographer: Justin Hedstrom
Artist: Kara Hendershot/ Mixed-media figurative painter
Portrait location: Metro Transit/OMF
Volunteer portrait photographer: Stephen Workman
Artist: Jesse Haug/ Sculptor
Portrait location: Lofts at Farmers Market
Volunteer portrait photographer: Justin Hedstrom
Artist: Catherine L. Johnson/ Artist, multi + inter + cross disciplinary
Portrait location: The Tilsner
Volunteer portrait photographer: Selfie
Artist: Alex Kuno/ Painter, illustrator, sculptor
Portrait location: The Jax Art Building
Volunteer portrait photographer: Mike McColl
Artist: Nora Targonski O’Brien/ Actor, musician, storyteller
Portrait location: The Northwestern
Volunteer portrait photographer: Stephen Workman
Artist: Sara Remke/ Co-owner, Black Dog Café
Portrait location: Metro Transit/OMF
Volunteer portrait photographer: Barbara Dodge
Artist: Andrew Rist/ Ballet Minnesota director, choreographer, artistic director
Portrait location: The Jax Art Building
Volunteer portrait photographer: Barbara Dodge
Artist: Tara Weatherly/ Founder and artistic director, Studio Sendero
Portrait location: Lowertown Commons
Volunteer portrait photographer: Patrick Clancy
Artist: Samual Weinberg/ Painter
Portrait location: The Gilbert Building
Volunteer portrait photographer: Justin Hedstrom
Co-founders/organizers of Inside Out Lowertown:
Gail Groop
Portrait location: Lowertown Loft Apartments
Volunteer portrait photographer: Patrick Clancy
Nancy Reardon
Portrait location: The Crane Ordway
Volunteer portrait photographer: Patrick Clancy
Rachel Wacker
Portrait location: 262 Studios
Volunteer portrait photographer: Barbara Dodge
