STUDIES IN FORGIVENESS | Aurora Avenue

Call for Experimental Artists
Artists experimenting in movement, performance, dance, text, voice and visual arts wanted for Studies in Forgiveness, a full-day, outdoor, live art event, 9AM–9PM, on Saturday 3 July along the west side of Aurora Avenue between Seattle Center and Green Lake. Select from 15-minute, 30-minute, 1-hour and 2-hour time slots. Engage in a stationary or moving study anywhere along the 4-mile route. Studies will be scheduled geo-chronologically, south to north, so that witnesses and performers can walk the 4-mile route and see the studies in order. Organizers will witness and film all studies. Studies in Forgiveness is 3rd in a quarterly series called STUDIES IN EVERYTHING and was preceded by Studies in White in January and Studies in Monk, Mompou and Melancholy in April. STUDIES IN EVERYTHING is very grateful to have received funding from 4Culture and encourages you to visit the Facebook Group STUDIES IN EVERYTHING for images and feedback from previous artists.

What is a Study?
A study is an experiment undertaken for the purpose of self-enrichment. It is not a finished, choreographed work and should therefore not require a great deal of preparation. It is itself a preparation and requires only your presence and focus on the day of the event. If you have questions about the appropriateness of your idea, review the Wikipedia definition of artist study and review our past studies. If you still have questions, feel free to inquire with the organizers.

AURORA AVENUE (State Route 99)
Artists are encouraged to make a site visit before applying and to consider the weather and environment when devising a study. Buses run in both directions and the sidewalks along Aurora are generous. There are 4 pedestrian overpasses and 3 underpasses crossing it and neighborhoods on all sides. Aurora is nonetheless a state route with speeding traffic in both directions and several on and off ramps that must be navigated to walk the route. Selected artists will be encouraged to witness the studies both before and after their own and to walk part of the study route. It is not necessary to walk the entire study route. No artist will work alone. At least one organizer will be present at all studies. The Aurora (or George Washington) Bridge is a half-mile long. The study route is 4 miles long. Aurora provides terrific views to the Cascades, Olympics and Mt. Rainier as well as Lake Union and the Fremont Ship Canal, but there are no benches, very few shops and very little foot traffic along this stretch and, thus, a standing audience for your work is unlikely. There will, however, be kick-off and close-down events at the start and end points, Seattle Center and Green Lake, which are both heavily populated. Please note, this is a rain or shine event for which you will need to be self-supporting: water, sunscreen, hat, umbrella, jacket, snack food, bus schedules. If you require support, you should bring your own.

Why Forgiveness?
Forgiveness, like art, is a process and not an event. As artists, we pave the way for forgiveness. "Forgiveness is the fragrance the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it," said Mark Twain and Dag Hammarskjöld said, "Forgiveness is the answer to the child's dream of a miracle by which what is broken is made whole again, what is soiled is again made clean." The artist sees, but can also make new.

Images & Info on Aurora Avenue
Aurora Seattle
Aurora Bridge
Galer Street Overpass
Aurora at Woodland Park
History Link on Aurora
Image of Aurora

How Do I Apply?
Send an informal e-mail expressing your interest to mimiallin@gmail.com no later than 19 JUNE 2010. Include your (1) name, (2) telephone and e-mail contact information (3) link to a website if you have one, (4) a very brief work history (<100 words), (5) your preference for a study length: 15-min, 30-min, 1-hour or 2-hour, and (6) one sentence expressing your study medium or idea. Each application should have 6 points. Incomplete applications will be set aside.

Event Curator
A. K. Mimi Allin