About Lisa Marie Ludwig's The Art Neighborhood
The Art Neighborhood is an on-going art installation that grows and expands as people participate and create action figures of themselves to be added into the work. Since it's inception in 2008, and showcased in 2009, the Art Neighborhood has grown to over 600 Action figures which have been created by participating viewers. Hundreds of action figures have been created in workshops dedicated to the Art Neighborhood, and donated to be permanently displayed in the project. This on-site installation is impacted not only by the participants, but by it's physical environment, for example, the taller the ceilings, the taller the installation. The history of installation art is a long one, with roots in the Dada movement of the early 20th century, which focused on found objects being incorporated into fine art settings, to more contemporary art movements, like the Fluxus collective of the 1960s and 1970s. On a purely visual level, the work incorporated in the Art Neighborhood is connected to the artists Paul Klee, Alexander Calder and Claus Oldenburg. Using found materials like cardboard boxes, shells, sticks, magazine clippings, and recycled materials, the Art Neighborhood connects the deep understanding of the symbolic and aesthetic power of objects by transforming everyday detritus into art. The Art Neighborhood is a shanty town model; it pulls on the themes of struggle and beauty, poverty and hope. Shantytowns are an unfortunate reality, but their hope lies in the possibility of transformation. The Art Neighborhood embodies the call to action necessary to address problems of poverty and conflict. People participate to make action figures of themselves to add to the creative growth of the Art Neighborhood with the understanding that artistic expression is one of many ways to answer a call to action. The Art Neighborhood is meant to be an example of the transformative power of art. The Animations included in the exhibits are collaborations using Action Figures in the Art Neighborhood. Stop motion animation in and around the installation, help give the neighborhood life. The animation adds a magical note that helps to unify the experience of the artwork.