Jason Wilder
Visions of Public Art
Sidewalk Cinema
Digital photographic prints, wheatpaste
“I took to long walks with my camera making candid photos of strangers during a difficult time in which I was repeatedly abused by my ex-wife. Instead of fighting back and/or getting even, I found solace and calm on my walks. The photographs are results of shared experiences with strangers. They captured my interest and I made a quick photo as we all were going from points A to B on the Rochester sidewalks. These very quick human interactions helped save me from being an angry person and allowed me to feel sympathetic to the pains and joys of strangers who could also be very much like me, regardless of our backgrounds.
Sidewalk Cinema is a selection of candid street photography photos wheat pasted on a wall near where the photos were taken.”
Visions of Public Art was presented in 2019 as part of [Current Seen] Big Ideas. Small Venues.
Current Seen supports the region's growing contemporary art community by bringing new curatorial voices and new artists together near East Ave. and Main St. in Rochester, New York.
2019 Core Venues (Rochester Contemporary Art Center, Central Library of Rochester, Visual Studies Workshop, RIT City Art Space) and Framework Venues (galleries, community and alternative spaces, and pop-up venues) hosted curated exhibitions of local and national artists related to the general theme: our current moment / our changing city.
Building upon First Friday Rochester, Current Seen is intended to foster collaboration, help spaces achieve greater collective impact, celebrate the act of curation, and aid artists in reaching new expanded audiences. Programs include more than 20 exhibitions and events organized by both experienced and emerging curators spanning three generations. The lead organizer of Current Seen is Bleu Cease, Executive Director of Rochester Contemporary Art Center.