Downtown District and Aurora Picture Show launch “SIDEWALK CINEMA”

Initial rotation, Color Play, features work of four female video artists

“Sidewalk Cinema,” an installation of contemporary video works in two windows of the Sakowitz garage at 1111 Main Street is gracing the scenery of Houston through the Houston Downtown Management District and the Aurora Picture Show. Works will rotate each quarter to feature a selection of video artists from around the globe.

The first installment, Color Play, features the work of four female artists who use color in playful and sometimes unexpected ways, often expressed through nostalgia and found objects.

The project is part of Art Blocks, the public art project installed in Main Street Square. Curated jointly by the Downtown District and the Downtown District Public Art Committee, with project consultant Weingarten Art Group, the project has activated the three-block pedestrian plaza with a series of site-specific temporary works since February 2016.

“With their history of presenting site-specific video works in unique settings, Aurora Picture Show emerged as a natural partner to help us extend the life of the media corner on Main Street and Dallas Street,” said Angie Bertinot, Marketing Director of the Downtown District.

Color Play, a 40-minute reel of six video works by four female video artists, will play on alternating loops in windows facing Main Street and Dallas Street.

Featured artists include:

Ohio-based multidisciplinary artist Kasumi, who utilizes found imagery for The Nostalgia Factory (2015), a video collage of colorized scraps of mid-20th century mass media.

Thai-Australian video artist Kawita Vatanajyankur, who juxtaposes staged physical experiences against bright washes of color in a series of powerful works that examine the role of women in labor. Featured in Color Play are three 3-minute videos: The Robes (2014), The Scale (2015) and The Scale of Justice (2016).

Jodie Mack, an experimental animator based in New Hampshire, who also draws on found objects to create a montage of pattern in Blanket Statement (2012).

Houston-based artist Emily Peacock, who turns her lens on vintage childhood toys for the film You Take Your Time (2016).

“The location for Sidewalk Cinema isn’t your typical gallery or theater set-up, so I selected work that might catch people’s attention as they rush by,” said Mary Magsamen, curator for the Aurora Picture Show. “My hope is that people will stop and watch — for 30 seconds or 30 minutes — and that they’ll find something that speaks to them from one of the four artists featured.”

Color Play will remain on view through mid-July. The second rotation will feature the work of video artist Brian Bress.

For more information about Art Blocks and programming updates, please visit artblockshouston.org.

ABOUT DOWNTOWN DISTRICT:  The Downtown District was formed in 1995 for the purpose of revitalizing the urban core of the country’s fourth largest city. Over the past decade, the Downtown District has used a combination of public funds and private resources to catalyze area improvements focusing on the city blocks bordered by Interstate 10, Highway 59 and Interstate 45. The Downtown District operates under the leadership of a 30-person board of directors who oversee the implementation of the District’s strategic initiatives. Funding for the Downtown District comes from a special assessment on all downtown property owners. For more information visit downtowndistrict.org or downtownhouston.org.

ABOUT AURORA PICTURE SHOW:  Aurora Picture Show is a Houston-based media arts organization dedicated to expanding the cinematic experience and championing experimental film, video, and audiovisual works. Aurora supports artists, engages audiences, and fosters collaborations through a variety of unique media art experiences in its own exhibition space and alternative spaces around the city.

FEATURED PHOTO: FILM STILL FROM JODIE MACK