be happy. surround yourself with + more art.

2009: The Mysterious House of Colors

When Justin Berry was asked to participate in the program, he decided to give the students a chance to curate and produce an art exhibition of their own. After visiting some of the galleries in their neighborhood, he asked the students to think of objects and environments that could become part of a compelling art exhibition. Based on the drawings they produced and the ideas that they discussed, Justin visited artists’ studios and consulted manufacturers in New Caladon to organize a mixture of commissioned and pre-existing works for this exhibition.

Months later when the show was finally installed, Justin Berry put together booklets with images of the initial drawings and finished works produced by the students. Working with a second group of Clinton Middle School students, this time in the fall semester, he asked them to try and figure out what the artworks might represent. The students wrote down their narratives in the booklets provided and were asked to describe the art with their words or actions on video. The goal is to present an art exhibit about the stories inspired by the art rather than the story behind it. The narratives presented not only describe the exhibit, they become its most salient feature.

The conceptual motivations behind the specific works will be left without authoritative account, and the three artists (and one craftsman) who contributed their work to the show have all agreed to remain nameless. We encourage you to come and visit our physical space to invent some stories of your own or else to visit the website, if you live far away, and hear some of the stories that these works of art have inspired.

The Mysterious House of Colors was exhibited at the Chelsea Art Museum.

Funding for this project has been provided in part by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with The NYC Council.