Launching Street Works, public-space galleries for co-creative art

Dec 1

MJN is grateful to announce the launch of Street Works, public-space galleries for participatory art, by and for artists dedicated to making justice normal.

What is it?

An incredible amount of creation happens in our public spaces — our streets, parks, plazas, and more. From graffiti art and performances, to chalk drawings and memorials. Among street creators are artists who center passers-by in co-creation, often in dialog with social and civic action.

In a time in which democracy is at risk and collective participation is needed more than ever, we hope Street Works offers one home by and for these artists, who carry a commitment to sharing power with audience in 2-way and 20-way conversation that enables the brilliance of passersby to collectively emerge.

Sister to the street action and block party, Street Works center co-creation and deep participation in public space. We believe co-creation in public space is one way civic action can become part of our lived wisdom and joy, rather than a concept at arm’s length from our souls. Over time and scale, we hope this is one way for democracy to become a personal and joyful experience.

Collective member artists & advisors

Featured

Street Works Artist

Kaimera

Street Works Artist

System: MJN Founder, System: Power Project Advisor, Venture: Into the Record Creator/Founder, Venture: Into the Record Architect, Street Works Advisor

Monique Aiken

System: MJN Founder, System: Power Project Advisor, Venture: Into the Record Creator/Founder, Venture: Into the Record Architect, Street Works Advisor

System: Power Project Advisor, Street Works Creator/Founder, Street Works Artist, Street Works Architect

Ernest Verrett

System: Power Project Advisor, Street Works Creator/Founder, Street Works Artist, Street Works Architect

System: MJN Founder, Venture: Into the Record Architect, System: Power Project Advisor, Street Works Advisor

Cari Hanson

System: MJN Founder, Venture: Into the Record Architect, System: Power Project Advisor, Street Works Advisor

System: Power Project Advisor, Venture: Narrative Expert, Street Works Contributor

Charney Robinson-Williams

System: Power Project Advisor, Venture: Narrative Expert, Street Works Contributor

System: MJN Founder, Venture: Into the Record Advisor, System: Power Project Architect, Street Works Creator/Founder, Street Works Artist, Street Works Architect

Anjali Deshmukh

System: MJN Founder, Venture: Into the Record Advisor, System: Power Project Architect, Street Works Creator/Founder, Street Works Artist, Street Works Architect

Venture: Narrative Expert, Street Works Artist, Street Works Advisor

Darryl Ratcliff

Venture: Narrative Expert, Street Works Artist, Street Works Advisor

Street Works Artist, Street Works Advisor

Purvi Shah

Street Works Artist, Street Works Advisor

Street Works Advisor

Jonathan Camuzeaux

Street Works Advisor

Principles and purpose

Street Works are a BIPOC artist-led art project. We hope to foster mutual aid space for street artists like us who think the mainstream museum and gallery systems do not serve justice. We need to re-work how we consume, show, and perceive art — including working beyond the bounds admissions turnstiles, bonding in place, and being who we make for. Over time, we hope to open-source the model, so that artists seeking justice can apply it in places and on topics that matter to them and their communities.

Guiding curatorial principles

Featured

Co-create

We co-create with audiences and commit to authentically sharing power with audiences as an embodiment of democracy.

Put residents/ people first

We are place-based, see relationship as art, center our “audiences,” — not only self-expression — and center joy as fundamental.

Make for and in public space

We design for and serve public space — like streets, sidewalks, and parks.

Spark action

We aim to spark hopeful, concrete co-actions that our communities can take to transform frustration, fear, sorrow, confusion, unknowns, or uncertainty into solutions.