Inside Out: Artists in the Community II:
Roadsworth

Roadsworth

Peter Gibson (Montreal, Canada) otherwise known as "Roadsworth," looks to street lanes, crosswalks, and traffic markers as the inspiration for his painterly interventions. In what he refers to as "Pedestrian Street Art," Gibson employs humble materials of stencils and spray paint to turn the street into his canvas. The resulting work re-fashions the all too familiar signage of streets and sidewalks, creating a whimsical new twist on civilian wayfinding.
www.roadsworth.com

Roadsworth - On the Project & Partnerships

The Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art, Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) and the Diggs Gallery have worked with the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) and the City of Winston-Salem to present the work of street artist Roadsworth. He is the sixth artist in Inside Out: Artists in the Community II, and has drawn inspiration for his paintings from streets and crosswalks on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and the WSSU campus. This project is the latest in Roadsworth's international series of street paintings. In these projects the artist critiques car culture and reinvigorates the pedestrian experience by altering existing street markings to create a humorous array of signs, images and symbols.

"Winston-Salem State is delighted to work with SECCA on this project that I'm sure will create some lively discussions," said Dr. Brenda Allen, WSSU Provost. "Given the attachment most of us have to our automobiles as a means of transportation, this presentation should be interesting and amusing...Beyond the public art aspect of Roadsworth's work, we are excited about the student involvement that is a part of his efforts on our campus," Allen added.

At the NCDOT level, Pat Ivey has been instrumental in stewarding and supporting the project through required state channels. At the City of Winston-Salem, Greg Turner, Stan Polanis, and Dale Hester have provided invaluable guidance, support and staffing to ensure the work of Roadsworth was carried out safely and successfully. At WSSU, Dr. Brenda Allen, Belinda Tate, Dara Silver, Chief Pat Norris, Owen Cooks, Leo Morrissey and many others have been enthusiastic and accommodating partners in this project.

Want more information on Roadsworth?

Click here to download an essay by SECCA Curator Steven Matijcio.
Check out behind-the-scenes images on : www.flickr.com/photos/secca/

Shoelaces: In the Anderson Center parking lot at Winston-Salem State University, Roadsworth turns diagonally striped parking space dividers into the cross-hatched laces of a giant shoe. In so doing, he comically urges us to park the car and walk the course instead. The positioning of the work next to spaces designated for those with physical disabilities is especially important -- calling attention to the fact that people in wheelchairs are pedestrians as well, with every right and ability to occupy streets, sidewalks, and public space.

Dominos: When crossing MLK Drive to enter WSSU, the pedestrian is forced to move quickly across a long expanse in a short period of time. To symbolize the precarious nature of this passage, Roadsworth transforms a MLK crosswalk into a row of giant dominos. On this surreal "elevated" crosswalk, we move across the tops of each domino as they rise or fall, depending on your perspective. In either case, the proverbial "domino effect" speaks to the powerful momentum that can be created when people move in unison -- in both physical, and political terms.

Screw: MLK Drive is one of Winston-Salem's most heavily trafficked streets by both cars and pedestrians -- creating a dangerous situation for every person who tries to cross. To address the problem, the State of North Carolina is planning to condense the street down to two lanes, which also speaks to WSSU's desire to more closely connect its campus. Roadsworth's transformation of a MLK crosswalk into a giant screw symbolically encourages the "tightening" of this roadway to bring the two sides closer together. Every person that crosses the street is like a turn of this screw, moving through sidewalks and median to secure a safer student crossing.

Drain: On a street that terminates in a sewer drain and dead end, Roadsworth offers a cautionary tale to drivers. By extending paired yellow traffic lines down the hill into an oversized drain, he suggests that if society does not change course, it could also be headed "down the drain." This visual metaphor simultaneously evokes running water and the overlap of urban and natural environments that Roadsworth sees as the future of the North American city. The irregularities in the spiraling lines inspire hope that a rigid, linear path can be loosened with our intervention and action.

Conveyor: When crossing MLK Drive to enter WSSU, the pedestrian is forced to move quickly across a long expanse in a short period of time. To satirically "assist" the pedestrian, Roadsworth creates a pair of moving walkways out of a crosswalk like those commonly seen in airports. This device can also be interpreted as a treadmill, which highlights the health benefits of walking the city as exercise; as well as a conveyor belt, which speaks to the more treacherous elements of mechanizing our lives to mirror the automobile industry.

Frogger: Frogger is a classic 1981 video game that has continued to retain both its popularity and playability over the years. In the game, frogs must make their way across a busy four-lane city street filled with cars and trucks that move with increasing speed and frequency as the game progresses. To call attention to the startling similarities that pedestrians share with these frogs when crossing MLK Jr. Drive, Roadsworth turns this brick crosswalk into a Frogger screenshot. Each brick becomes a pixel, re-animating a "game" with both nostalgic charm and present-day implications.

Fuel: Fuel is one of the world's most precious and sought after resources, with demand often outweighing supply. Rather than depending on non-renewable fossil fuels (i.e. gasoline), Roadsworth asks us to re-imagine both the source and subject of fuel. By turning a blue crosswalk in front of the Diggs Gallery into a giant fuel can, he positions the gallery as an engine of arts & culture on the WSSU campus. In so doing, Roadsworth encourages us to rethink what fuel can be -- from more environmentally friendly solutions (wind, solar, natural gas) to the arts that provide food for thought, soul and spirit.

For more information on Roadsworth and his paintings on the WSSU campus and MLK Jr. Drive, click here to download an information handout and map.

In Case You Missed It: Check out the full set of images on : www.flickr.com/photos/secca/ Inside Out Classroom: Street Art Workshop with Roadsworth October 13, 2009 Enrichment Center Inside Out: Artists in the Community II participating artist Peter Gibson, otherwise known as "Roadsworth," led an intensive workshop for students and instructors at the Enrichment Center, which is nationally acclaimed for its work in developing artistic talent and careers in the arts for adults with disabilities. During the program Roadsworth shared his work and discussed how he transforms street lanes, crosswalks, and traffic markers into self described "Pedestrian Street Art". He also helped the participants develop their own project-transforming the grounds surrounding the Enrichment Center into an imaginative work of street art. Enrichment Center instructors and students spent a week completing their street art installation, which was revealed during the Street Art Community Day on Sunday, October 18. Click on the image above to download a time-lapse video of Roadsworth's project at The Enrichment Center during his in-residence workshop. Music by The Enrichment Center Percussion Ensemble. Street Art Film Series Thursday - Saturday, October 15-17, 2009 From its rise in the streets of New York City to the global phenomenon it has become, street art continues to intrigue, inspire, and anger generations of people. SECCA and Krankies Coffee partnered to present this program exploring the legacy and impact of this compelling art form during the three day Street Art Film Series in conjunction with the artist Roadsworth's installation, produced as part of SECCA’s Inside Out: Artists in the Community II exhibition series. Style Wars Thursday, October 15, 2009 Krankies, 211 East Third Street, Winston-Salem Style Wars is a legendary hip-hop documentary and a timeless film classic, the indispensable record of a golden age of youthful creativity and exploding hip-hop subculture. Directed by Tony Silver, and produced by Tony Silver and photographer Henry Chalfant, Style Wars was awarded the Grand Prize for Documentaries at the Sundance Film Festival in 1984. In 2003 it has been newly acclaimed at New York's Tribeca Film Festival, at the Edinburgh International Film Festival, and numerous other festivals, where it screened with Style Wars: ReVisited, its new companion film, produced from the new 2-disc package recently named Best DVD of the Year by The Onion. Style Wars captures the look and feel of New York's ramshackle subway system as the graffiti writers' public playground, battleground and spectacular artistic canvas. Opposing them by every means possible were Mayor Edward Koch, the police, and the New York Transit Authority. Meanwhile, MC's, DJ's and B-boys were rocking the city with new sounds and new moves, as street corner break dance battles became performance art. The soundtrack features classics performed by The Sugar Hill Gang, The Treacherous Three, The Fearless Four, Grand Master Flash and The Furious Five, Trouble Funk, Rammellzee/K-Rob, and Dion. Directed by Tony Silver; USA; 70 minutes; Not Rated. Still from NEXT: A Primer on Urban Painting NEXT: A Primer on Urban Painting Friday, October 16, 2009 Krankies, 211 East Third Street, Winston-Salem Next: A Primer on Urban Painting is a documentary exploration of graffiti-based visual art as a world culture. The filmmaker profiles the art form in nine countries including USA, Canada, France, Holland, Germany, England, Spain, Japan and Brazil. A combination of candid moments and interviews with painters, "writers," designers, documentarians and other participants within the subculture, the film conveys the dynamism and creative brilliance of this important emerging artistic movement. Directed by Pablo Aravena; Canada; 2005; 95 minutes; Not Rated. Roadsworth: Crossing the Line Saturday, October 17, 2009 Diggs Gallery, Winston-Salem State University 601 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive Roadsworth: Crossing the Line details a Montreal street artist's clandestine campaign to make his mark on the city streets. Hailed as an "artist's artist" by Wooster Collective, Roadsworth began to play with the language of the streets, overlaying city asphalt markings with his own images: a crosswalk becomes a giant boot print, vines choked up traffic dividers, and electrical plugs filled parking spots. Each piece begged the question, "Who owns public space?" Roadsworth (aka Peter Gibson) is an internationally renowned street artist whose three-year campaign of illegal art installations galvanized the city of Montreal in a debate over art and authority. Today, in both his public pieces and private commissions, Roadsworth continues to define himself as an artist and takes the risks that make his work instinctual, immediate, and enigmatic. The post-screening Q&A featured Roadsworth who discussed his recent work as part of SECCA's public art series Inside Out: Artists in the Community II. Directed by Alan Kohl; Canada; 72 minutes; Not Rated Check out the full set of images on Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/secca/ Street Art Community Day at the Enrichment Center Sunday, October 18, 2009 Enrichment Center, 1006 S Marshall St, Winston Salem, NC FREE SECCA and the Enrichment Center were pleased to host a collaborative Street Art Community Day. Inside Out: Artists in the Community II artist Roadsworth (aka Peter Gibson) led a workshop for Center residents to create their own street art projects. Enrichment Center artists and staff involved in the project were on hand to deliver a talk about their work. Community Day festivities also included art-making projects for the public such as stencil making and sidewalk art. The Enrichment Center's Percussion Ensemble performed live during the event and local dancers from Kenevex Entertainment offered a brief history of the B-Boy, breaking, and hip-hop scene, followed by performances and breaking workshops. Inside-Out: Artists in the Community II is supported by a grant from The Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes that a great nation deserves great art. In-kind support provided by Sundance Plaza Hotel, Spa and Wellness Center and AdColor of Winston-Salem. Click to view an interactive map of Inside Out: Artists in the Community II. SECCA is Inside Out: Artists in the Community II during 2009: Charlie Brouwer, Anna von Gwinner, Lee Walton, Kianga Ford, Mark Jenkins, Michel de Broin