FIGMENT is…
Some ways to think about FIGMENT |
We recognize that writing about FIGMENT can be tricky. What makes it special? How is it different from other cultural events? To help, here are some ways to think about FIGMENT:
In 1 word FIGMENT is:
Free; Participatory; Inclusive; Creative; Community-building; Public; Imaginative; Welcoming; Catalyzing; Uplifting; Energetic; Active; Collaborative; Interactive; Fun; Unexpected; Organic; Experimental
In 5 words FIGMENT is:
An Annual Celebration of Creative Culture
A Participatory Arts Event for Everyone
A Meeting Point for Artists and Participants
An Explosion of Imagination and Creativity
A 25,000 – 30,000 Person Collaborative Art Project
A Community-Based Social Framework
A Laboratory for Governors Island’s Future
An Experiment in Grassroots Community
In 1 sentence FIGMENT is:
FIGMENT is a free participatory arts and creative culture event in Jackson, MS May 14-15, in Boston June 4-5, on NYC’s Governors Island June 10-12, and on Detroit’s Belle Isle August 6, with season-long exhibitions on NYC’s Governors Island May through September.
FIGMENT provides an open forum for every type of artist, helps build a creative community, and fosters participatory and public art and creative culture of every sort.
FIGMENT demonstrates what the arts can be: participatory, bursting with creativity and completely free, born from the desire to share imagination and invention between artists and the public.
FIGMENT NYC invites urban residents to enjoy beautiful urban green spaces. NYC’s Governors Island is a beautiful natural setting and fantastic repository of the city’s history, yet it is practically unknown by those who live and work just minutes away.
In 1 paragraph FIGMENT is:
FIGMENT is an annual free weekend-long participatory arts and creative culture event on NYC’s Governors Island, two-day events in Boston and Jackson, MS, and a one-day event in Detroit, with season-long exhibitions in NYC. Our mission is to provide a forum for the creation and display of participatory and interactive art from emerging artists in a variety of disciplines ranging from sculpture to visual art to music, performance, and multidisciplinary work: a celebration of creative culture. FIGMENT began in 2007 as a one-day event with 60 projects and 2,600 participants, and grew the following year into a three-day event with over 250 projects and 10,000 participants. By 2010, we had over 400 art projects and over 25,000 people. For FIGMENT 2011 we expect to expand further in an exciting and freewheeling exchange of creative culture, art, ideas and experiences.
FIGMENT is about participation. Precisely because it requires interaction between the art, the artist, and the viewer, participatory art can be a vehicle for personal and social transformation. The passive viewer is made active, contributing to the creation, understanding and very definition of the art. These activities bring together artists and community members in ways that build relationships and encourage individual creativity. We believe visitors of all ages and backgrounds have something to offer, and invite them to participate in installation art, costuming, interactive performance, games, activities, workshops, and anything else the mind can envision .
FIGMENT NYC suggests possibilities for the future of Governors Island, and public art in New York. Governors Island is an environment rich in history, redefining itself to be a place for the benefit of all New Yorkers. What better way to explore what the island can become than through art and creative culture? The most powerful art invites a dialogue between artist and audience; in this same spirit we hope New Yorkers will explore their relationship with the natural and historical treasures around them, beginning with Governors Island, the birthplace of the city.
FIGMENT is an antidote for uncertain times. Precisely because the commercial market for art is facing grave challenges in an uncertain economy, an event like FIGMENT is more important than ever, because it is built on community and not on commercialism. Participatory art expands the definition of “art” — art isn’t about creating an object that can be bought and sold, or creating a “show” that you pay to attend — it’s about creating a shared experience, free from the constraints and pressures of the marketplace. It’s about a celebration of creative culture. Lack of money should not be a barrier to creativity.
