A2SF and Ann Arbor District Library (AADL) will celebrate community leaders and “Living History” with Monuments by Australian-based visual artist Craig Walsh from September 4-8 in Ann Arbor. The subjects of the large-scale portraits featuring community leaders will be announced later this month along with the location.
Monuments is presented by A2SF and Ann Arbor District Library, with support from the University of Michigan Arts Initiative, The Friends of the Ann Arbor District Library, and the Ladies Library Association.
About Monuments:
Built for the great outdoors, Craig Walsh’s Monuments celebrates selected individuals through large-scale, nighttime projected portraits onto live trees in public spaces for stunning effect. Monuments challenges traditional expectations of public monuments and the selective history represented in our public spaces. The installations present a haunting synergy between the human form, nature, and the act of viewing. Enormous night-time projections transform trees into sculptural monuments. Host sites select subjects to celebrate and honor through their stunning portraitures. Recent Monuments include installations for: Arizona Arts Live, Tucson; Without Walls Festival, in San Diego; and Moss Arts Center in Blacksburg, VA.
About Craig Walsh:
Craig Walsh is a visual artist based in Brisbane, AUS. Over the last 30 years, Walsh has become widely known for his pioneering works – including innovative approaches to projection mapping in unconventional sites. His site-responsive works have animated natural environments and features such as trees, rivers and mountains, as well as public art projects in urban and architectural space. He is also renowned for his site interventions at live events, including iconic works at music festivals across Australia and internationally.
About Ann Arbor 200:
In 2024, Ann Arbor is celebrating its bicentennial year, the 200th anniversary of its founding. To mark this occasion, the Ann Arbor District Library is undertaking a project called Ann Arbor 200. Over the course of 2024, 200 digital content releases that explore topics from Ann Arbor’s history will be assembled–some created by AADL staff, and some commissioned from artists, filmmakers, and writers around the community, and some are created through partnerships with organizations throughout the city. Learn more here.
A2SF champions performing arts, outdoor entertainment, and community spirit. In addition to a nearly four-week festival each June that attracts a diverse audience of over 80,000 people and offers over 200 concerts, art exhibitions, kids activities, spectacle, and film screenings, A2SF presents compelling experiences throughout the year on the campus of the University of Michigan and throughout Washtenaw County.
The mission of A2SF is to present a world-class celebration of arts and entertainment that enriches the cultural, economic, and social vitality of the region. A2SF was founded as a partnership between the University of Michigan and the City of Ann Arbor and produced its first season in 1984. For more information on all events, please visit A2SF.ORG.
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