May 26, 2018 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Annette Dodd
therockandartshop@gmail.com
207-974-6222
Local Artists Create Public Installation for Downtown Bangor Community
Bangor, Maine: On June 2, 2018, three artists will create six large-scale, wheat-paste installations on select buildings in the City of Bangor. The work will remain on the downtown buildings throughout the summer and will be removed in the fall. The installations are a project by Bangor Beautiful - part of The Downtown Bangor Partnership - and Queen Collective. The Collective’s mission is to bring more public art to Downtown Bangor.
The project is a response to the positive community reaction to wheat-paste installations in other communities in Waterville and Gardiner, Maine. Kerstin Gilg, who worked on both the Waterville and Gardiner projects, suggested the idea when The Downtown Bangor Partnership was looking for ways to bring art into public areas in Downtown Bangor.
Wheat-paste, which is typically made from four parts water and one part wheat flour, is inexpensive and temporary. This type of work not only creates greater access to art but also serves as a welcome to visitors, and highlights the creativity that exists in our community.
“There seems to be this rejuvenated interest in public spaces downtown,” Gilg said. “This is a really nice way to show that the downtown is a place for creative people and a place that people care about.”
The Queen Collective comprises local museum and art educators, as well as a local gallery owner. The Collective creates partnerships with the local merchants who are sharing their buildings with the support of the City of Bangor. Like many artists and collectives, the group has parameters to generate content. The guidelines are that the works need to be an original piece of art, have a focus on flora or fauna, and do not advertise any existing business, product, or service.
The Rock & Art Shop and Sohns Gallery will host a talk about the installations later in the season, giving the community an opportunity to discuss the work and meet the artists.
This large scale project was made possible by funds provided by The Downtown Partnership and a matching grant from the Bangor Cultural Commission.
For more information contact: Annette Dodd, 207-974-6222, therockandartshop@gmail.com
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The City of Bangor, Maine is a service center community of 33,039 residents and is the county seat of Penobscot County. Bangor is the major commercial and cultural center for much of northern and eastern Maine. The City is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. For information on City projects and news, see www.bangormaine.gov.