Habitat For Artists East 2021
Recycled, materials at ArtPort Kingston
Michael Asbill, Maxine Leu

HFA East at ArtPort Kingston

A collaboration with Michael Asbill
 
HFA is a collective project that uses the idea of the artist’s studio as a catalyst for mutual engagement between creatives and communities. The “habitats” are small, temporary, 6’ by 6’ studios installed at a variety of locations: some highly visible to the local community; others, more unexpected venues for experiencing art or connecting with the process of artists engaging in creative work. HFA invites artists to work in these small, temporary studios. And while exploring their own creative process, the artists engage in active dialogues with a new audience from that location. The public, meanwhile, is invited into a new interaction and discussion about art, the artists role, as well as topics which are pertinent or relevant to that local community.


The studios are made from predominantly recycled or reclaimed material and are reused for each new iteration of the project. During short-term residencies, artists work within certain guidelines setup by HFA, either to consider types of materials used or to connect to a certain site in a new context. These intimate work spaces not only ask artists working in them to explore their creative needs, BUT also act as a metaphor for our OWN domestic needs. How might we be more creative about our consumption of materials, our use of energy and land? Could we be doing more with less, yet still create a vibrant, relevant society and culture?

In collaboration with ArtPort Kingston, HFA will be installing a shed in the strand and offering micro-residencies from mid-May through September 2021. As mentioned above, the shed is a simple structure with no running water, no wifi, no electricity. Unfortunately we are unable to offer stipends, but we do keep a store of very basic art materials and will happily offer what we have to support your project.

The selected site is within easy walking distance of the busy, commercial heart of the Rondout. Potential participants certainly wander through this area, but a large crowd cannot be expected. Residents should be prepared for flurries of activity and extended periods of quiet. FYI, weekends are likely to be the busiest time. Applicants are just as likely to encounter tourists as they are kids from the neighborhood.