Photo courtesy of Recology
The Recology San Francisco Artist in Residence (AIR) Program has announced a special partnership with Minnesota Street Project (MSP) to commemorate the AIR Program’s 35th anniversary. Located in San Francisco, the Minnesota Street Project offers economically sustainable spaces for art galleries, artists and nonprofits.
Founded in 1990, the Recology AIR Program is an art and education initiative that supports Bay Area artists. As part of the Recology Sustainability Education Program, the four-month residency provides artists with access to studio space, a stipend and materials recovered from the Public Reuse and Recycling Area at the company’s transfer station. The immersive experience encourages artists to reimagine waste as a resource, fostering creative exploration while educating the public and deepening our understanding of the importance of environmental sustainability.
In keeping with past anniversary celebrations, the milestone exhibition, Art/Education/Community – 35 Years at Recology AIR, features work by Recology artists-in-residence from the past five years, along with a screening of videos and films from various years in the Media Room. Featured is work by university and college student artists from the Student Artist in Residence Program, AIR board members, staff who have participated in the program and artists from a partnership with Creativity Explored. According to Recology, this work highlights the lasting impact and enduring legacy of one of the Bay Area’s most beloved and long-standing programs.
Recology says that over the past 35 years, the AIR program has hosted more than 190 professional artists and 60 student artists from local colleges and universities. These artists, emerging, midcareer and established, have worked across a wide range of disciplines, including painting, sculpture, video, photography, installation, performance and new media. While their individual approaches and themes vary widely, a shared thread runs through their work: an exploration of environmental responsibility, material consumption and the possibilities of transformation through reuse.
According to Recology, the AIR Program plays a vital role in the company’s mission to conserve natural resources and reduce waste. Artists not only create work using reclaimed materials but also engage thousands of visitors annually through public tours, exhibitions and educational programming, sparking dialogue around sustainability and inspiring a more mindful relationship with the things that are thrown away.
The company says this collaboration with Minnesota Street Project marks an exciting moment to honor the legacy of the program, celebrate the creativity it has fostered and spotlight the powerful role of art in building a more sustainable future.
The anniversary exhibition runs from July 23 to Aug. 30 at 1275 Minnesota St. in San Francisco. Photos of artwork created through the AIR Prgram can be accessed through www.flickr.com/photos/artatthedump/albums/72177720322187566.