World Renown Dutch Influence
Erie Arts & Culture has selected artists Marquis Wallace and Ashley Pastore to serve as understudies for a public art project in Erie’s urban core. The two Erie based artists will work alongside Zedz as he transforms a commercial property located at 121 W 12th Street. This project is being sponsored by Zaphiris Family Limited Partnership. The project is curated by Iryna Kanishcheva, who also served as the curator for SatOne's recent mural, "Flotsam," located at Dobbins Landing.
Zedz (b. 1971, the Netherlands) started painting graffiti in the 1980s. He graduated from the Gerrit Rietveld Art Academy in Amsterdam in 1998. He works as an independent artist/designer and has completed mural projects all over the world. This project marks the first time he has painted a mural in the United States of America.
Zedz's work combines his interests in architecture, design, and street art. Through his work, he examines the ways that public design influences physical experiences. At the completion of this project, Zedz will travel to Bogota, Colombia for an exhibition of his fine art.
Building the Capacity of Local Artists
Marquis Wallace is a multi-disciplined African American artist. Marquis is perhaps best known in the Erie community as a dance instructor at Sovereign Ballet, an Employment Specialist and Transitional Team Leader at the Barber National Institute, or the manager of the King's Rook - a live music venue in midtown Erie. Marquis is currently arranging an original production that integrates elements of dance, digital media, visual art, and literature into a compelling narrative about the black experience and civil rights. This production will be presented to the public during February 2020, with a preview scheduled for September's Gallery Night.
Ashley Pastore is a multi-disciplined artist who returned to Erie to open a print and papermaking studio. Ashley founded Grounded Printshop, located in Erie's Little Italy neighborhood, in the summer of 2019. Ashley has assisted the Looking Glass Art Project on previous public art projects, specifically the mural titled "Setting the Stage for Erie's Future" located on the exterior facade of the Erie Playhouse's rehearsal hall and scenic shop (1154 E 12th Street). Ashley has also created public art in Cleveland and Chicago. Her work can currently be seen in the exhibit "Everyday Monumental" at the Erie Art Museum.
Both Marquis and Ashley are artists who Erie Arts & Culture have previously worked with through the New Horizons initiative. By making continued investments in these artists, Erie Arts & Culture hopes to build their capacity and position them as creative leaders, equipped with the skills and knowledge to use their artistic talents to help communities express their aspirations and interests and bring about social change.
New Horizons is funded in part by the Erie Community Foundation.
