Erections at Spire Studios prove to be small yet satisfying

Simon Draper squaring up the structure that I'll be working in and on.

Earlier this week, the first of the Habitat for Artist structures went up beside Spire Studios' parking lot. These two structures, will be joined by several more at the Spire site while a few others will be erected in Peekskill and elsewhere in Beacon.

The structures will serve as temporary workspace and experiential sculptures for the next six weeks. The temporary studios will be "opened" for public viewing from May 16-18 concurrent with other events taking place that weekend.

For those involved with the assembly and use of the structures, as I am, this project is part social sculpture and part residency/retreat all without having to leave home for an extended period. Above, I mentioned my view of these structures as experiential sculptures as the work within, which is defined by the limitations of the structure, will shape the appearance of the structure for reasons regarding both form and function.

The element of social sculpture that is engendered by the project is partly embodied by some of underlying environmental and economic issues relevant to how and where work is done in society. While not entirely "green," the structures are largely created with reclaimed materials, which in turn will be reused again in future incarnations of the project. The underlying question raised by this project is how much or little does an artist- or anyone else -need to work or live effectively to his/her own purposes. This question is pertinant to both the ecological and economic footprint of each of us develops conciously or not.