submitted
Rendering of artwork by Alyssa Baguss on the back of the building facing the park.
Rochester, Minnesota – Rochester Art Center is on a mission to create a haven for our feathered friends and elevate the intersection of art and conservation. This Fall, a new installation by artist Alyssa Baguss and poet Erin Sharkey will enrich the 50-foot-tall windows on the East and West sides of the building. These installations will not only serve as artistic expressions but also act as deterrents to the tragic bird collisions that have occurred at the building since its construction twenty years ago. The National Audubon Society and Sierra Club estimate that “Building collisions kill more than one billion birds each year, and many of these needless deaths can be prevented.”*
The artists were selected by a panel including Rochester-based artist Sophia Chai, Lynn Cornell, affiliated with Save the Rookery, and Kristoffer Acuña, Rochester organizer for the Sierra Club North Star Chapter. Baguss plans to install poetry and imagery on the surfaces of the front and rear windows at the Rochester Art Center using perforated vinyl that prevents bird strikes while still allowing for light to enter the museum and guests to see out. Erin Sharkey has written a poem with conceptual themes of sky, flight, and migration to adorn the front exterior windows. In response to Sharkey’s poem, Baguss designed a work for the rear windows of the building drawing upon the themes from Sharkey’s poem.
Executive Director, Pamela Hugdahl, initiated planning for the project in 2021 after witnessing evidence of dozens of bird impacts on the Art Center windows during her first year at the Art Center. “Oily bird impressions on the Art Center windows and bird carcasses on the ground outside of the reception space negate the celebration of arts, culture and life that our organization works so hard to support. My primary regard for contemporary art is that it can offer tools for solving problems. I am proud to be in a community where people value biodiversity, science, engineering and the arts, and come together to mitigate injury and enhance the vibrancy of our community.”
Artist Alyssa Baguss commented, “It’s a privilege to contribute to a project that not only adds beauty to the Rochester Art Center but also serves a vital purpose in preventing bird strikes. This artwork represents a fusion of creativity and conservation, helping to protect wildlife while being visible to all who visit.”
Kristoffer Acuña of the Rochester Sierra Club stated, “We are so excited for this installation that illustrates how art plays a crucial role in addressing ecological challenges, environmental justice, and climate change. By preventing bird collisions, we are not only continuing to beautify the city but also making a meaningful impact to local wildlife.”
Significant support for this project is made possible through a Rochester Downtown Alliance Facade Improvement Grant and the Minnesota Main Street Economic Revitalization Program. The DMC EDA and City of Rochester administered the Main Street grant from the MN Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) as a partner organization.
Community support is needed to secure full funding and ensure that this project can be propelled to encourage similar projects. Please donate at https://www.rochesterartcenter.org/public-art-for-bird-safety
Donations may also be mailed to Rochester Art Center, 30 Civic Center Dr. SE STE 120, Rochester, MN 55904.
Join us in transforming our windows into a sanctuary for both art and nature. This project promises to be a landmark initiative, showcasing the power of art to make a positive impact on our environment. Together, let’s build a safer haven for our airborne companions.
Website: https://www.rochesterartcenter.org/public-art-for-bird-safety
Right: Rendering of poem by Erin Sharkey on the front of the building.
Alyssa Baguss | Baguss’s practice explores mediated natural environments through the drawing processes and interactive creative experiences. She is a multi-year recipient of the Minnesota State Arts Board Artist Initiative and Creative Support Grants, the 2017/18 Jerome Foundation Fellowship for Emerging Artists and a part of the Minnesota Artist Exhibition Program at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts in 2019. Her work has been exhibited at the Rochester Art Center, Minnesota Center for the Book Arts, Minnesota Museum of American Art, Minneapolis Institute of Arts and most recently through a Forecast Public Art Mid-career Artist project Grant in 2019 and Professional Development Grant in 2020. In addition to exhibiting artwork in traditional settings, Alyssa has a long history of creating and facilitating interactive creative experiences at events, art festivals, museums, and public spaces for all ages.
Erin Sharkey | Erin Sharkey is a writer, arts and abolition organizer, cultural worker, and film producer based in Minneapolis. She is the cofounder, with Junauda Petrus, of an experimental arts collective called Free Black Dirt and is the producer of film projects including Sweetness of Wild, an episodic web film project, and Small Business Revolution (Hulu), which explored challenges and opportunities for Black-owned businesses in the Twin Cities in the summer of 2021. Sharkey has received fellowships and residencies from the Loft Mentor Series, VONA/Voices, the Givens Foundation, Coffee House Press, the Bell Museum of Natural History, and the Jerome Foundation.
In 2021, Sharkey was awarded the Black Seed Fellowship from Black Visions and the Headwaters Foundation. She has an MFA in creative writing from Hamline University and teaches with the Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop.
About Rochester Art Center
Rochester Art Center is a museum of contemporary art located along the Zumbro River in the heart of historic downtown Rochester, MN. Founded in 1946, the Art Center hosts an ongoing schedule of exhibitions of work by local, regional, national, and international artists; dynamic educational programs for all ages; and an array of community partnerships and visitor engagement initiatives. Through world-class exhibitions and programs, the Art Center presents a welcoming, integrated, and diverse experience that encourages questioning, creativity, and critical thinking.
Contact
Kalianne Morrison, Advancement Director
kmorrison@rochesterartcenter.org