SANTA MONICA MUSEUM OF ART PRESENTS WALL WORKS 2002
INSPIRED BY LANGSTON HUGHES & THE LOS ANGELES RIVER
ARTIST ALISON SAAR & SOUTHLAND SCHOOL CHILDREN
CREATE "UNDERCURRENTS" -- A LARGE-SCALE PUBLIC ARTWORK
November 21, 2002-February 12, 2003
Opening Reception at the Neighborhood Outreach Gallery in Santa Monica Place

November 26, 2002

Santa Monica, CA -- In "The Negro Speaks of Rivers", Langston Hughes wrote “I’ve known rivers: I’ve known rivers ancient as the world and older than the flow of human blood in human veins. My soul has grown deep like the rivers.” Inspired by this poem and by her fascination with rivers and their meaning to civilizations, Los Angeles-based artist Alison Saar has created ""Undercurrents"", a collaborative public art installation involving children from Venice to the Valley. "Undercurrents" is part of Wall Works, an ongoing series of free public art collaborations for participating schools and community centers. This project involves 231 students at 9 locations, in cooperation with two school districts. The creator of Wall Works is Asuka Hisa, eduation director of the Santa Monica Museum of Art. Undercurents is on view at the Santa Monica Museum of Art’s Neighborhood Outreach Gallery on the third floor of the Santa Monica Place Mall from November 21, 2002- February 12, 2003; Alison Saar will attend the free opening reception on November 26 at 6 p.m.

“Each participating school and community center receives a free Wall Works kit, which they return to the museum once their creative assignment is completed,” explains Hisa. “For 'Undercurrents', the kit contains Alison’s artist statement for the work, which will be a 19 foot installation comprised of decorated wood shingles; lesson plan material and discussion topics---including the text of the Langston Hughes poem--for the teachers and students; background resource information about Alison Saar, Langston Hughes, and the Los Angeles River; the wood shingles, which Alison herself cut into a series of shapes and sizes for each child; the blue, ochre, black and white pastels used to draw on the shingles; and a 15 minute video created by artist Harry Gamboa, Jr. during which Alison discusses how to undertake the project, her inspiration for "Undercurrents", and her life as an artist. The kit also contains evaluation forms for the teachers and the students, and a disposable camera to document their creative process,” notes Hisa. “Alison will install the work when all the shingles have been completed and returned to the museum. Once the exhibition closes, each child will receive his or her shingle back to keep.”

The recipient of numerous fellowships and awards, Los Angeles-born and based ALISON SAAR creates powerful works, often using wood, tin, and found materials. Her art explores her African-American and mixed race heritage, and the persistent challenges of racial stereotyping.