The South End Knitters Strike Again with a Street Art Installation for June that Celebrates the Culture of Bikes, Books, Colors and Fiber in the Library’s Tremont Street Windows

The fabulous South End Knitters have installed their first exhibit in the Tremont Street windows of the South End library, a show that features a popular urban art form that counterveils the often harsh contours of our public streets’ furniture to give it a more welcoming, exciting and colorful profile. They are part of a legacy of guerilla, graffiti and stealth knitters that can be traced to Magda Sayeg, whose work with the group Knitta Please (founded in Houston in 2005) is credited with bringing sewing from the domestic circle to the street. 

Describing themselves as urban artists, the  South End Knitters’ vibrant fiber creations have beautified local fences, lamp and bicycle posts for years. The artful geometric patterns and  fiber-teased pom-poms covering the knitted bike frame in the library’s Tremont Street window combine with a quilt-shaped seat and fabric-patched bike lock, paying homage to what was generally considered a domestic form of art now claiming its rightful place in art on display in the public square.

Also known as yarn bombers, the  group participated in the deCordova Museum Biennial in 2012 for which the press release read, “When they secretly slip their colorful hand-sewn creations on fences, statues, street signs, hydrants, bicycles, and buses under cover of darkness, they humanize and prettify the urban realm; they decorate, swaddle, and in some cases, protect. They call attention to the forms they cover and remind us about our relationship to our surroundings in ways that seem far more innocuous and temporary than their painted graffiti counterparts.”

The South End Knitters are a revolving group of fiber artists of all ages, female and male, who gather in various public spaces and informal restaurants to knit, crochet and sew. Once-upon-a-time they met at Flour Bakery + Cafe on Washington Street, but more recently they have come to the Prudential Center across from the Post Office, or b.good on Dartmouth Street on Thursdays after work.  

This installation will be up for the next few weeks. It is one of a series of Tremont Street window exhibits of the Local/Focus project sponsored by the Friends of the South End Library to visually connect the library community with local artists, non-profits and creative entrepreneurs.

A Record Crowd Came to Hear Nine Poets Whose Portraits Are on Local/Focus Display in the South End Library's Windows And Delivered Mesmerizing Performances of Poems and HipHop

John Pinkham

Last month's LocalFocus installation in the South End library's windows of Gregory Jundanian's Poet Portraits brought in a large crowd on October 6, when the poets featured in the display treated the audience to their exciting, sometimes raw, but always original take on contemporary culture. Jundanian,  an emerging artist and frequenter of Boston area poetry slams, described his photography series as a "visual open mike" where poets transcribe words on the photographs taken in places that were of significance to them.

Greg Jundanian's Poet Portraits installation in the SE library's window

Jundanian introduced each poet by pointing to their pictures pinned up on the community room wall, and encouraged the audience to attend poetry events by saying how much fun the slams were. He singled out the "house slams" at Haley House Cafe in Dudley Square every other Friday as a place "where people bare their souls" about sexuality, abuse, poverty, race, and mental illness. "The poetry, good and bad, is accepted and supported," he added.

Krysten Hill

Before he turned to photography, Jundanian was a cab driver, a bonds salesman, firefighter and glassblower. He is currently founder and president of Three Squares New England, an organization raises funds to combat hunger in Massachusetts.

Lakiyra (Oompa) Williams

Among those reading were DiDi Delgado, currently a host of the SOUPed Up Poetry Slam at the Dudley Cafe and recipient of the2015 Jack Powers Stone Soup Savor award. She was joined by  Krysten Hill, who is a recipient of the 2016 St. Botolph Club Foundation Emerging Artist award; Valerie Loveland, Lakiyra (Oompa) Williams, a Roxbury hip-hop artist and member of Flatline Poetry; April Penn, John Pinkham, Salem poet Oliver Prato, Allegra Thaler, and Tim Velsor.

Oliver Prato

Jundanian's photo exhibit, which will end this week, is the fifth in the South End library's Local Focus series which connects local artists, creative entrepreneurs and non-profits to the South End community by means of window installations. Jundanian's photos are available for sale; a portion of the proceeds will be used for the library's programming.

Photographer Greg Jundanian's Installation of Poet Portraits Will Be Celebrated With A Poetry Slam by the Poets featured in the Exhibit on Thursday, October 6 at 6:30 PM

Poster design by Mary Owens

On Thursday, October 6, at 6:30 PM,  nine poets will read at the South End library to celebrate the exhibit of photographer Greg Jundanian's Boston Poetry Series, portraits he took of the bards while visiting local poetry slams. Those reading include DiDi Delgado, Krysten Hill,Valerie Loveland, Oompa, April Penn, John Pinkham, Oliver Prato, Allegra Thaler, and Tim Velsor.  The October exhibit is the fifth Local Focus display this year. It is sponsored by the Friends of the South End Library to utilize the library's grand windows on Tremont Street and showcase work of local artists, non-profits and creative entrepreneurs. We serve refreshments. Seating is limited.

Greg Jundanian is an emerging artist focused on portraits and self-selected communities, however loosely defined. Born into an Armenian family largely defined by its history and traditions, Jundanian wondered what could have been if its past  had been different? These questions led him to explore other social groups, characterized by various common denominators. He describes his Boston Poetry Series, on display in the South End library windows, as a "visual open mike" based on a collaboration with poetry slammers in which the poets transcribe words onto the photographs. It is the story about a self-defined community, a place where an individual poet can receive the support to explore issues of identity critical to his or her poetic expression.

Boston Poetry Project by Greg Jundanian

A former cabdriver, bond salesman, firefighter and glassblower, Jundanian is also the founder and president of Three Squares New England, an organization focused on increasing awareness and fundraising towards battling hunger in Massachusetts. Additional exhibits of Jundanian's work scheduled for the fall include the PH21 Gallery in Budapest (Hungary); the Nave Gallery in Somerville, MA; the Atlanta Photography Group in Atlanta GA; and the Griffin Photography Museum in Winchester, MA.

Jundanian's photographs on display at the library are available for sale. Thirty percent of each sale will be donated to the South End library to benefit its programming.

A New Window Display Showcasing the Image of the Book in Ceramics and Folded Art Will Be Installed This Week in the Library's Tremont Street Window as Part of its "Local Focus" Initiative (Copy)

Lori Pease's earthenware book tile

Since a board member of the Friends of the South End Library discovered the potential of the South End library's beautiful large windows as a community exhibit space earlier this year, the branch has showcased a range of displays.  Coming up next is a dual display in the Tremont Street window of the image of the book itself, one by a local ceramicist who used to work in publishing; the other, the town librarian of a small public library in New Hampshire who wanted to do something more creative with the to-be-discarded books, and learned how to fold them into paper sculptures. (The local connection is that a FOSEL board member also volunteers at the NH library.)

New Hampshire librarian Veronica Mueller's folded books

Ceramic books for artful decoration, by Lori Pease

Lori Pease was for many years the design director for a local literary publishing house, Zoland Books, but has since worked with the image of the book in clay, using the book's texture, form and color as her inspiration. Pease's clay books can be hung on the wall, used as coasters or book ends, or arranged in decorative groupings. Veronica Mueller, the town librarian in Warren, NH, began to practice folding books after a seeing a picture of it on the Internet. She has given classes to adults and children, and folds books upon requests for special occasions. They make unique gifts for friends and family who want names or messages folded into the books, she explains. "The only tools required are old books without value, a pencil, a ruler, graph paper, and depending upon the design, a bone folder. There is no cutting or gluing involved," she says.

The Local Focus initiative was formerly called Window Take-over. It is meant to use the library windows as a showcase for local artists, non-profits and entrepreneurs and has to be compatible with the library's mission to serve and inform the community. All inquiries are welcome and should be directed to Anne Smart, head librarian of the branch.

The Friends of the South End Library are finalizing simple guidelines, which will be available at the library as soon as they are completed. Price lists of any items for sale are at the circulation desk. Thirty percent of Lori Pease's ceramics will be rebated to the South End library to support its programs.

A New Window Display Showcasing the Image of the Book in Ceramics and Folded Art Will Be Installed This Week in the Library's Tremont Street Window as Part of its "Local Focus" Initiative

Lori Pease's earthenware book tile

Since a board member of the Friends of the South End Library discovered the potential of the South End library's beautiful large windows as a community exhibit space earlier this year, the branch has showcased a range of displays.  Coming up next is a dual display in the Tremont Street window of the image of the book itself, one by a local ceramicist who used to work in publishing; the other, the town librarian of a small public library in New Hampshire who wanted to do something more creative with the to-be-discarded books, and learned how to fold them into paper sculptures. (The local connection is that a FOSEL board member also volunteers at the NH library.)

New Hampshire librarian Veronica Mueller's folded books

Ceramic books for artful decoration, by Lori Pease

Lori Pease was for many years the design director for a local literary publishing house, Zoland Books, but has since worked with the image of the book in clay, using the book's texture, form and color as her inspiration. Pease's clay books can be hung on the wall, used as coasters or book ends, or arranged in decorative groupings. Veronica Mueller, the town librarian in Warren, NH, began to practice folding books after a seeing a picture of it on the Internet. She has given classes to adults and children, and folds books upon requests for special occasions. They make unique gifts for friends and family who want names or messages folded into the books, she explains. "The only tools required are old books without value, a pencil, a ruler, graph paper, and depending upon the design, a bone folder. There is no cutting or gluing involved," she says.

The Local Focus initiative was formerly called Window Take-over. It is meant to use the library windows as a showcase for local artists, non-profits and entrepreneurs and has to be compatible with the library's mission to serve and inform the community. All inquiries are welcome and should be directed to Anne Smart, head librarian of the branch.

The Friends of the South End Library are finalizing simple guidelines, which will be available at the library as soon as they are completed. Price lists of any items for sale are at the circulation desk. Thirty percent of Lori Pease's ceramics will be rebated to the South End library to support its programs.

Opening Thursday, March 31 at 6:00 PM: South End Library's First "Take-over" of its Tremont Street Windows to Connect the Library with Local Artists, Teachers and Creative Entrepreneurs

A work-n-progress. Wire Sculptor Will Corcoran contemplates next moves for the window installation of the SE branch on Tremont Street

After weeks of planning and scheming, wire sculptor Will Corcoran and FOSEL board member Karen Watson have begun to install the first South End Library Window Take-over. It is a joint project  between library staff/FOSEL  to utilize the library's prominent Tremont Street windows for eye-catching displays by local artists, creative entrepreneurs and others and make the South End community aware of its rich cultural reservoir of talent and ideas. The installations, which have to be based on a library-related theme, this time features sculptures from tales by Edgar Allen Poe and the Brothers Grimm.The first ten children under the age of fourteen who can correctly guess the tales represented by the sculptures will receive a a prize after a drawing on April 15. 

The Window Take-over installation will officially open with a reception at the library on Thursday, March 31 at 6:00 PM.Ray Brown, of WGBH TV, WCRB's classical music station, and the Ray Brown Talkin' Birds radio show, will read a few selected tales from the Poe and Grimm collections. Will Corcoran will talk about his work.

The event is free. Refreshments will be served. Information for future events and guidelines will be available at the reception. The South End library is fully handicapped accessible.