The Project Row Art Houses is a block in Houston's third ward that was set aside with the help of some generous benefactors, and they give a space to community artists to express themselves. This accomplishes a couple of things- it gives an at-risk community and population a valued space that can be a source of pride, and it gives an opportunity to expose a point of view that is often overshadowed or overlooked by higher end developments or interests.
CasteAways: A Rescuscitation of Third Ward by Brittney Connelly
An excerpt from the artist: "Discarded furniture from the streets of Third Ward is reconstituted in a cast of paper and flour. Blanketed in white, the non-functional objects that once contained a history and energy become mere obstructions in space. In an attempt to recondition the state of these de-contextualized objects, I will intervene in the process by detaching the obstructions and redistributing the pieces..."
deLUX by Logan Sebastian Beck
An excerpt from the artist (Logan Beck): "Signs are everywhere- the serve as way-finding mechanisms and information displays- by their very nature as signs they force the viewer into interaction and conversation. A sign uses spectacle to stand out of the visual landscape and grab the attention of the passerby. In this way, signs produce and self-disperse; however, as our culture becomes increasingly spectacular, signs become more familiar, and our communication with them becomes instantaneous and unperceived.
"I am interested in slowing down this process by revealing the work that signs do. For this reason, signs that work against themselves or fail to function properly as signs- broken signs, fake signs, misinformed signs and deconstructed signs all interest me."
Third Ward Sno-Cones by Matthew Gorgol
An excerpt from the artist: "During my residency I went about handing out complimentary sno-cones to the Third Ward community. This idea arose from the recession in America and the continuing heat in Houston....This exploration into the act of giving has initiated conversations ranging from the difficulties of being health conscious to the economics of generosity. The communities' response has been one of welcome and surprise, welcoming the treat and surprised it is art."
Pobres y Ricas by Catherine Cartwright
An excerpt from the artist: "Recently returning from El Salvador, I was intrigued that rarely a woman from rural parts of El Salvador carried a purse. It was crucial for a woman to have her hands free for many laborious tasks, so the purse's function was served by a half apron the women there wore. To me this garment represented more than storage. It symbolized the struggle of a population of women who have not the opportunities that women in the United States have. The desire to provide, care for, and advance their families is manifested in a multitude of creative ways, and this project was my way of empathizing with the desires of these women."
