A group exhibition that turned an art gallery into a temporary bookstore, tea shop, and “living room” for Cincinnati opened August 26th, 2017 at Wave Pool.

How can a white box become an organic, warm, and inviting space for community? This group exhibition transformed the gallery into an open living room for Camp Washington. San Francisco’s Adobe Books founder and proprietor for 25 years, Andrew McKinley, joined us in transforming the gallery into a bookstore, photography studio, and gathering place. Local artists and partners programed and ‘un-programed’ the space with group reading, working, play and hanging out. This exhibition created a murmuration of the community, building experiences and connections that aim to outlast the temporality of the gallery installation.

In addition to Andrew McKinley, the exhibition included tea and pastries from refugees and immigrants who work with Heartfelt Tidbits, a giant beanbag sculptures created by PLOP!, and a create-station art making installation by Indigo-Hippo. Events and interactions were produced by and in collaboration with Mary Clare Reitz, Lara Allen, Joshua Kruer and Chase Public. Please read below for more detailed information about each event.

The exhibition was available for interaction from August 26th – September 30th. There was a closing event on September 28th in conjunction with a pop-up exhibition by the Art Academy of Cincinnati’s Curatorial Studies class in the upstairs gallery.

IF YOU GO

What: The Opening Reception with Listening Loop interactive performance
Attendees were welcomed to the gallery for the opening reception of the exhibition. In addition to experiencing the installation, visitors were invited to try tea and Armenian pastries, as well as participate in Mary Clare Rietz’s interactive listening performance entitled Listening Loop. Part game, part therapy, part sharing economy, part cultural and political resistance, Listening Loop is a social practice art work in which listening is the medium, listening is a transformative act, and cultivating a network of listeners is the goal. Artist Lara Allen also performed in a costume co-created by Allen and artist Johanna Jackson

What: Poetry and Pie
There was poetry. There will be pie. Wash it down with some utterances, exclamations, and reflections from a few local sculptors of the word. You could call it something like, “intersectional guerrilla food shares”, but, hey, let’s just eat some pie. Organized by Joshua Kruer.

What: The Sleep Show
Wave Pool and Chase Public presented “The Sleep Show” a concert focused on comfort, meditation, and sleep. Ambient loops and calming melodies create a relaxing atmosphere where the audience is encouraged to get comfortable and lounge. Prepared with pillows, sleeping bags, pajamas. Let the music shape your dreamscapes, as you experience a concert in a unique environment. Musicians will play from 11pm to 9am night to dawn focused on impacting the subconscious, a layer below direct attention. Music in a continuous performance from provided by David Corns and friends.

What: Creative Dive with Indigo Hippo
We joined Indigo Hippo for a dive into the world of creative exploration! At Indigo Hippo, we believe that creativity keeps us afloat, brings joy, and can be relieving when the challenges of life pile up. In this workshop, we brought a variety of creative reuse materials for participants to play with as we enjoy reflective moments. We explored the following: "What challenges have you experienced lately and how might creativity be applied?" while creating beautiful pieces of visual art.