Remington Stories: Images from the past and visions for the future
Saturday June 19, 2010
1-5pm
2800 Remington Avenue
Art on Purpose in partnership with Greater Remington Improvement Association announces: Remington Youth Community Radio Project’s CD release of RYCR: Portrait of a Neighborhood: Artwork and audio created for and by Remington residents.
This exhibition features artwork and audio from Art on Purpose’s Remington Youth Community Radio project (RYCR), as well as historical photographs and archival imagery of the Remington community. At this event, Art on Purpose will release the CD, and audio-visual map, RYCR: Portrait of A Neighborhood. This double disc ready for radio compilation includes interviews, stories, and recorded reflections collected by the RYCR youth participants about Remington; it’s residents, it’s businesses, and neighborhood character.
RYCR: Portrait of a Neighborhood is comprised of nearly 40 separate tracks, edited together by Beth Barbush from interviews that were conceived, conducted, and recorded by youth. Topics range from residents reminiscing about the during the Depression, to youth sharing their perspectives on their homes, favorite places, crime and safety concerns. to their personal visions for Remington’s future. Listeners learn about current community businesses, neighborhood greening initiatives, and an underground music venue called “The Zoo.” A 9 year-old musician named Lennon shares his rock star musical talent, and 91 year-old woman shares her memories and experiences at the community’s Church of the Guardian Angel. The double-CD also features an audio essay by historian and Johns Hopkins University professor Melanie Shell-Weiss, who provides insights on qualities of Remington that are ingredients for any healthy neighborhood.
RYCR is just one of many community programs that GRIA supports and implements. It is well known and received in Remington for providing a consistent after school youth program as well as creating opportunities for residents to meet, speak and listen to each other. GRIA uses the RYCR interview sessions, audio/visual product, and community gatherings around this program, to encourage residents of all ages to interact with one another and become aware of community issues, concerns and improvement projects. Program facilitator Barbush says “The collected stories and perspectives mirror many urban neighborhoods —our issues are not unique to us, but our way of listening and talking to others through interviews and art is a new way of engaging residents in the community with their immediate environment and their neighbors. We hope this project can model for others what they too can do in their communities.”
The public is invited to GRIA’s annual Remington Stories event between 1pm and 3pm, you will have the opportunity to view artwork, listen to the youth radio pieces, record your own community story, participate in an audio visual neighborhood walking tour, and speak directly with the residents. Between 3pm and 5pm, entertainment and refreshments will be provided by local Remington musicians and residents. RYCR: Portrait of a Neighborhood double-CDs and audio-visual maps will be distributed free to the first 100 attendees. The Greater Remington Improvement Association will also be placing the RYCR audio tracks on line at
www.griaonline.org. Please go to the GRIA website for more info and directions.
