BRIDGE Exhibitions

Contemporary Art

The City of Eugene’s BRIDGE Exhibitions, creates opportunities for innovative, contemporary art projects, pieces and experiences that explore, express or reflect social, personal, political or ecological issues of the times. Artists and organizations engage in conversation with curator, Lillian Almeida, to effectively place locally generated contemporary art projects in the public eye.

These works activate public spaces and highlight artists and arts organizations that creatively contribute to the current discourse in our community and beyond.

Artworks
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Darryl Evans - "Free Your Soles"

An installation of more than 1,000 shoes "freed" by our community. An abundance of both well-worn and pristine footwear will emerge from a tree at the intersection of 5th Ave. and Oak Street like low-hanging, wearable fruit. The changing social and physical environment at the tree’s urban location, along with the shoes’ origins and ultimate fate, are some of the elements shaping the meaning and message of Free Your Soles. A time lapse photographic record of the month-long evolution of the installation will be part of this artworks conclusion. At deinstallation, remaining shoes will be donated as appropriate, recycled if unusable, or reused in the artist’s next iteration of the work.

Sponsored by ArtCity Eugene with community partners City of Eugene Urban Forestry and Windermere Real Estate.

Tracy Sydor - "Miss Maple"

A character-based sculptural encounter appearing first at the Velvet Edge Boutique during Visual Arts Week. Miss Maple is born from Sydor’s childhood experience of a 1st grade teacher who stepped forward as a selfless protective presence. This memory has expanded into a figure of martyrdom and unquestioning protection within the artist’s personal mythology. Miss Maple will also inhabit the Forest of Tea and other locations during a portion of the August exhibition.

August 2-9, The Velvet Edge Boutique

August 10-20, Forest of Tea

Aug 11- Sept 4, Location TBA

Sponsored by Eugene Commercial Photography with community partners The Velvet Edge Boutique, MECCA and Forest of Tea.

Josh Sands - "Breathe, Step, Arrive"

A series of artworks in the form of imagined transit maps located along the walkways from Smith Family Bookstore on Willamette Street to the intersection of 5th Ave. and Pearl Street. Physically produced as professional signage, Sand’s maps may offer our current location in relation to water resources, possible personal moods and psychological status, our current level of distraction verses interaction and more.

Sponsored by Imagination International with community partners LTD, FASTSIGNS and Smith Family Bookstores.

Lillian Almeida has been a working artist for as long as she can remember. Through more than 30 years working and teaching classes in her various art studios she has maintained a passionate interest in fostering greater connections among local artists and finding the resources that will grow their practices. Since moving to Lane County in 1995 she has built a network to help her further art. She is a founding member of Art City Eugene and the brainchild behind BRIDGE Exhibitions, which debuts this summer during the Visual Arts Festival. The founding principal behind BRIDGE is providing support for contemporary art in Eugene to grow. She believes contemporary art needs a team, long-term support and collaboration, and BRIDGE seeks to connect the gap between what contemporary art is and the public.

BRIDGE Exhibitions