Jordan Kendall Parks

Images above from previous outdoor art projects (Surface First Tilts West, 2017 and Solar Sit, 2021)

Emergence: Art in a Free Surface
Summer 2024, Portland, Maine

 Emergence: Art in a Free Surface temporarily installs environmentally conscious, minimal impact works of art within Portland’s many public green spaces and urban hiking trails. Visitors are invited to interact with natural and human history, while simultaneously viewing contemporary art as part of an intersection of art and the outdoors.

This project conveys the importance of our connection to the natural world -  that we are a part of it and not just from it. Offering an alternative reason to visit these green spaces; ie. walking through Baxter Woods because there is an art project tucked away among the pines versus taking a shortcut home, provides a sense of adventure and a new form of connection to oneself, the land and our city. 

Engaging the public with art in the parks encourages alternative uses of green spaces, a heightened awareness of their accessibility and a reminder that nature has always been here. This project invites the audience to interact, engage, and sit with the natural world, with art, and leave the experience with a sense of connection and joy. This is urgent as we adjust to living among climate and social emergencies, constant urban development within our city and state, and because the natural world offers healing, respite and inspiration.

Project Intentions
Emergence encourages viewers to get outside, using trails, and raises awareness for these spaces while celebrating artists who are creating environmentally conscious works of art and connecting the public to the outdoors.

Proposed Collaborators
-Portland Trails
-Portland Parks Conservancy
-7 Involved Artists

Proposed Locations
Possible install locations include (but are not limited to) Baxter Woods, the trails behind Evergreen Cemetery, Deering Oaks, and Canco Woods.

Timeline
January: Communication with proposed collaborators
February: Locations for Art installations confirmed
March 1: Call for Involved Artists Opens
March 31: Call for Involved Artists Closes
April: Artists notified of acceptance
May-July: Fabrication period for artists
July 1: Install begins
Late July: Opening reception / celebration
July - September: Events that highlight each piece and its locations take place throughout these months to encourage heightened visitor traffic, engagement and experience.
October 1: De-installation
November - December: Documentation and publication period, including a zine style photo book of the exhibition.

Budget Outline

Confirmed Funding:
Kinding Fund: $3,000
Momentum Conservation (SMCC): $1,000

Seeking Additional Funding:
$2,450

Want to support the intersection of art and the outdoors in Portland, Maine? Emergence is seeking additional funding to make sure involved artists receive a stellar stipend for their materials and time, that all fees are covered and the event can be as successful and sustainable as possible. Use the link below to donate or email jordanparksartwork@gmail.com