On View at: Mercer Park (Bleecker & W. 3rd Streets) starting Nov. 11, 2004
40 nations,
22 sites,
+ 100+ tiles
1 goal: to unite the world.
The Tile Project, Destination: The World, sponsored by UNESCO, will culminate in 22 new public art works installed from Berlin to Chicago, Sarajevo to Seoul, and many points in between, one of which is Mercer Park. Each of these new public art works will include tiles made and donated by over 100 international artists— even artists from countries that are otherwise in conflict with one another. These works will demonstrate that artists are able to unite the world in ways that are respectful, tolerant and understanding of the global communities’ differences and commonalities.
As a group, the artists of TransCultural Exchange have exhibited their work at many international galleries, museums, and other venues, including Palais Tokyo, Paris; London Biennale; Trans Hudson Gallery, NYC; PS122 Gallery, NYC; The Chicago Cultural Center; radio:on:studio, Tokyo; Ichon Art Center, Seoul; the Bar of the Museum of Modern Art, Berlin; and Inner Mongolian Museum of Fine Arts, Huhhot. Diversified in their media, the group has created a compelling assemblage of tiles, running the gamut from traditional ceramics to glass, photography and digital imagery. In discussing The Tile Project’s evolution, TransCultural Exchange director Mary Sherman asserts modern architect Stanley Tigerman’s view that tiles are “both democratic and accessible.” They are the essence of the potential of public art as “an art form that can be found anywhere in the world by anyone, no matter one’s class, race, age, or gender; with a purpose and beauty transcending all differences between all people.” Co-organizers Enid Braun and Kim Sillen Gledhill, Mary Sherman, and the participating artists of the TransCultural Exchange view The Tile Project as affirmation of the hope that people of the world can cross superficial boundaries and work in unison towards peace and cross-cultural understanding.
The Tile Project will culminate in 21 new, public art works (each made out of 100+ tiles, created by diverse, international artists) installed throughout the world from Berlin to New York; Sarajevo to Seoul and these points in between:
| Azerbaijan | Baku State Art Academy | |
| Bosnia | Sarajevo’s Academy of Fine arts | |
| Finland | Hämeenlinna’s Cultural Centre Verkatehdas | |
| France | Collioure’s Gallery L’Art Vivant | |
| Germany | Berlin‘s Bar of Modern Art | |
| India | Mombai’s Khyber Restaurant | |
| Israel | Tel Aviv University | |
| Mexico | Mexico City‘s Pantanegra | |
| New Zealand | Porirua City‘s Pataka, Museum of Arts and Cultures | |
| The Philippines | Manila‘s Cultural Center of the Philippines | |
| Romania | The Town Hall of Bacau | |
| South Africa | Centre for Visual Arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal | |
| South Korea | Seoul‘s Peace Museum | |
| Spain | The City of Chinchon | |
| Taiwan | The Taipei Artist Village | |
| Turkey | Istanbul‘s Artemis Art Center | |
| United States | Boston‘s Pauline A. Shaw School Chicago’s North Side Preparatory School Washington DC’s Peace Garden New York’s site to be announced in June* | |
| Vietnam | The Fine Arts Museum of Ho Chi Minh City | |
| Wales | The Chapel of Art (pre-existing site) | |
In conjunction with the project, K-12 schools and universities are creating parallel projects, connecting students together around the world, proving that the visual arts can bridge cultural, geographic and political divides to unite us all.
Stay Tuned: A New World Awaits
