Project Description:
Participants in Hidden Histories share an interest in exploring artwork that is connected to place, particularly to San Francisco and the notion of hidden histories. Participating artist will consider concepts of geography, place and space, tours and tourism, and the way that places hide and reveal their own histories. Artists will display their projects in 2D and 3D format during an exhibition at Crucible Steel Gallery that will serve as the Hidden Histories Headquarters. The Headquarters will function like a visitor’s center with visual projects displaying artifacts, maps and interpretations of the various “Hidden Histories” and both artist-led and self-guided tours departing from this site. In this way, the gallery functions both as a destination and a point of departure as each project contains elements that live inside and outside the gallery space.
Hidden Histories is a project of the artists’ collective Hypersea. Hypersea is a multidisciplinary project of contemporary artists from the Bay Area, dedicated to integrating art education and artistic production into urban environments. Our goal is to make and support art that fosters critical dialogue, research and practice in a variety of art forms and places. As a collective dedicated to creating art in the public, Hypersea’s Hidden Histories project explores the scope of public storytelling, tours and tourism. Hidden Histories will give artists the opportunity to create artwork in and about particular public environments and tell the story of a location with an artist’s vocabulary. From whimsical stories about Mission’s barbershops to gun battles over land use in Mission Bay, Hidden Histories’ artists consider how our stories are told, as well as giving light to stories that are neglected.
The Goal of Hidden Histories is to connect artists directly to a particular locale or community. The artwork will be accessible to the public through tours, via maps, online pod casts, zines, or direct participation with the artists. Many of the projects involve the public as participants and necessary ingredients in the development and execution of the work. Through this process, artists become active scholars and contributors to their selected community and help other Bay Area residents learn and appreciate the little-known narratives of particular SF locales. This exchange of creativity and collective knowledge are the cornerstone of Hypersea’s mission as an artist-run organization.
Project Timeline:
July 15: Project Review, Collective Meeting
August 15: Completion of Projects’ Initial Stages
September 1-5: Installation of Hidden Histories’ headquarters
September 6: Opening and Reception for Tours and Events at Crucible Gallery
September 6-29: Tours, Performances and Events
September 30: De-install and wrap up at Crucible Gallery
A Project of HYPERSEA