The Making of…

Feb 23- June 23,2020 (extended due to COVID)

Artists: Undine Brod, Gabe Brown, Melissa Dadorian, Jeila Gueramian, Elana Herzog, Miwa Koizumi, Ann Mailey, Susan Meyer, Ruby Palmer, Traci Talassco, Clare Torina, Christine Stiver, Julie Hedrick, Samantha Strand, Rachel Urkowitz and Roberta Ziemba

The Making of… — the inaugural exhibition of ArtPort in the Cornell Steamboat Building on theEast Strand in Kingston — echoes the history of the site where steamboat engines were constructed for over 100 years on the Rondout Creek. ArtPort plans to nurture the burgeoning creative energy of the Hudson River Valley to become a dynamic hub for arts and culture in Kingston.

Materiality in art is the careful consideration towards the outcome. Every choice an artist makes has an effect and the process is a curious evolution of exploration. Is it the outcomeor the experience that is more valuable?

The Making of… blurs the boundaries between the MADE and the MAKING. The exploration of materials is the impetus in the making and also becomes a process of discovery. Materials provoke a dialogue between the art and the audience. Contemporary culture often alienates individuals and there is a need to share in a communal experience. What brings people and experiences together at the Kingston waterfront? What is the experience the work creates for the artist and the viewer?

In Jeilia Gueramian’s immersive installation, there is a range of materials that engulf you into a world of handcrafted up-cycled textiles woven together in a fantastical ad-venture. Miwa Koizumi makes delicate creations out of discarded plastic bottles transforming the materials into an elegant new form while giving meaning to a tossed away object. Traci Talasco’s brightly patterned scratch + sniff papers over architectur-al elements evoke a sense of memory and place.The Making of… welcomes all ages to engage with the artwork and offers visitors an opportunity to create their own stories and come away with new memories.