Blog – Art in Odd Places

As we transition to our new Director Furusho von Puttkammer, we have asked our alums if they have any advice, memories, or thoughts they would like to share with AiOP. LuLu LoLo, who is both an artist alumni and Curator of AiOP2019: INVISIBLE, and friend of both AiOP Founder Ed Woodham and our new Executive Director Furusho von Puttkammer, wanted to share this:

1. What’s a strong Art in Odd Places memory that you recall?

There are so many memories from over the past twelve years during which I performed in six AiOP festivals and also had the honor of curating AiOP 2019: INVISIBLE.

Thinking back, what is amazing is that in my first AiOP appearance as 14th Street NewsBoy in AiOP 2009: SIGN, the festival was four weekends in October! I was out there every weekend offering the public the newspaper: The 14th Street Tribune (four issues—a different one each week) that I researched and wrote about the history of 14th Street. I wore a vintage-inspired newsboy attire (this was before the play Newsies). As the weather turned colder Joshua Suzanne of Rags Au GoGo gifted me a tweed jacket to wear. I recall that I was working on each issue each week like a real reporter and was under pressure to get the issues to the printer. The public’s enthusiasm to collect each newspaper issue was amazing—they were even contacting AiOP for back issues. Years later when I did a short stint as NewsBoy for an AiOP event, a guy was excited to see me because he never received all four issues. Performing on the street one never knows the public’s response and getting people to take a newspaper can be tricky—one favorite interaction was with a man who was hesitant to take a newspaper—I could see him at the curb looking back at me—and trying to decide to take one or not, and I yelled to him “Oscar Wilde’s play was a flop!” and he smiled and said, “You got me.” And he took a newspaper. Another memory of NewsBoy is my looking across the street and seeing Ed smiling at me while I was performing.

In all my memories over all these years, it is the excitement and interaction with the public that has been most rewarding: from people wanting me to acknowledge them with a tip of my hat as the Gentleman of 14th Street in AiOP 2011:RITUAL; accepting blessings from Mother Cabrini in AiOP 2017: SENSE; nominating a woman for a monument in Where are the Women? in AiOP 2015: RECALL; the heartwarming conversation a man had with his deceased father in Remembrance of Phone Numbers Past in AiOP 2013:NUMBER; and with a seat strapped to my back Offering a Seat to the Elderly: the Invisible Generation in AiOP 2018:BODY; and of course the joyous moment when the brass band came promenading down 14th street for AiOP 2019:INVISIBLE.

What would you like to say to Ed as he leaves?

Ed, your vision and dedication to AiOP has made it the premier public art festival in New York City. I am extremely grateful to the freedom and the support you have given me and all the artists in the festival. Your spirit will always be a part of AiOP. Ed, as you pass the baton to Furusho, I know that you are confident that she has the ability and vision to continue creating a vibrant exciting AiOP.

What should Furusho know about Art in Odd Places?

AiOP is a juggling act of curators, artists, 14th Street, deadlines, and the bureaucracy of New York City. Furusho with her AiOP experience is aware of all of this and has navigated it successfully so far.

Any advice for Furusho?

Furusho, always follow your instincts and have a supportive team that understands your vision. I think you already have that in place. I will always remember the moment we met, and our friendship began. I am so proud of you, and I know you will be fantastic leading AiOP into the future.

Photos Included:

LuLu and Ed, meeting to discuss LuLu Curating AiOP 2019: INVISIBLE Photographer unknown

Group photo at the opening of AiOP 2019: INVISIBLE Photo: Paul Takeuchi

From Left to Right front row: Billy X Curmano, LuLu LoLo, Joshua Suzanne, Furusho von Puttkammer

From Left to Right Back row: Laura Droguol, Ed Woodham, Ron Kolm, Barbara Lubliner (partly hidden)

As we transition to our new Director Furusho von Puttkammer, we have asked our alums if they have any advice, memories, or thoughts they would like to share with AiOP. Katya Grokhovsky, who is both an artist alumni and Curator of AiOP2018: BODY, and friend of both AiOP Founder Ed Woodham and our new Executive Director Furusho von Puttkammer, wanted to share this:

What’s a strong Art in Odd Places memory that you recall?

I have many fond memories of Art in Odd Places as an artist alum between 2014-2016 and as a curator in 2018, but I can pinpoint two that stand out in my mind the most. My first work in AiOP 2014, was Slow Dance, a participatory performance, which seems unimaginable now, in our pandemic world. I and several performers invited passersby from different parts of 14th street to slow dance with us to the sound of the city. It was the first time I performed a work like that on the street and will never forget the experience. Another memory is the opening of the group exhibition I curated as part of AiOP BODY in 2018, at Westbeth Gallery. It felt like a huge feminist celebration, I remember giving an impassioned speech and being enveloped and supported by a crowd of familiar faces. Curating AiOP was a highlight of my personal and professional journey at that time and became a springboard for my future projects.

What would you like to say to Ed as he leaves?

Ed has become a dear friend, a mentor, and will always be an inspiration to me. I admire his passion and tenacity to establish and keep an artist-run, interdisciplinary ephemeral media project running, regardless of many challenges. I would like to thank him for supporting many of my ideas, experiments and vision as an artist and curator. I credit Art in Odd Places with giving me fortitude and experience to establish my own platform, The Immigrant Artist Biennial in 2019.

What should Furusho know about Art in Odd Places?

I believe Furusho has already experienced many unique aspects of Art in Odd Places and understands its premise, place and legacy. I would add that the project has an incredible army of alums all over the city, the U.S and the world at large, whom I’d love to see participate in the project once again in some aspect.

Any advice for Furusho?

I would just say to bravely march forth into the uncertain challenging future, with a bold, uncompromising vision!

Photo credit:

Pei-Ling Ho, Absence of Three, AiOP Body, 2018, photo Katya Grokhovsky
Questions Collective, Foundation, AiOP Body 2018, photo Walter Wlodarczyk

Lulu Lolo’s Questions for Alums

Katya Grokhovsky Alum Questions