Observations on the Festival and Its’ Environs

Introduction by Ed Woodham, AiOP Founder

(Photo of 14th Street, Ed Woodham)

Since 2015 for each iteration of the Art in Odd Places (AiOP) festival, the AiOP curatorial team has invited a select group of valued individuals to be one of our esteemed Thinkers in Residence. Their responses have taken many forms: essays, poetry, photo montages, video collages, aural recordings of on-the-spot conversations with the public, and combinations of aforementioned. 

This year Thinkers were invited to attend the festival Public Programs: a virtual evening of video and imagery on Thursday, September 22;  What’s Your Story? a selection of festival artists telling their respective stories at the Bureau of General Services: Queer Division at the LGBTQIA+ Center on Friday, September 23; and Critical Mass, a selection of artists’ projects in a concentrated area (between Sixth and Eighth Avenues)  to make the festival more accessible for festival artists and goers on Saturday, September 24.  

And of course our Thinkers strolled the festival over the weekend reflecting on 14th Street, the current times, patterns of movement, artists’ projects, memories, pedestrians, public space, serendipity, trauma, inclusivity, plus other notions and ideas.  Thanks to our thoughtful friends. Enjoy their observations in this insightful series of pondering investigations.