“The Struggle” by: Veronica Cianfrano

There is a constant struggle in allof us.  A struggle to keep ourheads above water as we try achieve a dream.  Whether you work to support your children in hopes that youmay one day see them achieve greatness, or you sacrifice everything to reachyour potential; you carry a burden. You carry it with pride.  It is the magic of hope we carry in even the heaviest of hearts thatmake us human.  This is thehumanity I hope to capture with my installation. 

The center of a stark room will hold a bundle of over 20018" silver metallic helium balloons. These balloons come together to hold up a cement slab (a piece of thickfoam painted to look like a heavy cement slab).  The message is simple. It represents a struggle to preserve the desire to pursue our dreamsamidst an often times bleak socio-economic landscape.  Tension occurs when the viewer realizes that as time passes,the balloons will inevitably lose their air and the cement slab will slowlyfall to the ground, robbing the piece of its magic.  of course, the optimism lies in the fact the cement slab ismerely made of foam and although the balloons will lose their air and the slabwill lower through time.  It willnot become anchored to the ground.   

CHER: The Mission

Philadelphia, like many cities across the United States has been hit by economic downturn. As monies dry, businesses fold and foreclosure shutters even the most promising neighborhoods. These spaces lie dormant, collecting dust and projecting despair. Pop-up Galleries are a temporary solution to this gloomy predicament. Art can both physically fill these spaces as well as psychically; transforming them into a place for community. These “galleries” will serve as both beautification and advertisement, making their surrounding communities more aware of its availability so more permanent tenants may be found.

Space provides context; with art, context can be everything. In many ways, the gallery is meant to act as a blank page; walls are stripped of identification so as not to interfere with the art object’s intended purpose and message. However, these objects spend most of their inanimate lives in spaces far different from the uncluttered haven that is “gallery.” We, the Champions of Empty Rooms, do not seek to mask the change an object can undergo, we seek to highlight and harness this effect.

Two needs are met through this collective’s efforts. CHER artists are provided with an array of spaces and contexts from which to choose while garnering attention and appeal for the occupied space. With boards pulled back and lights aglow, unsanctioned residents are simultaneously deterred.

These spaces also present unlikely patrons with access to art. Galleries act as artistic bastions, cultural dens somewhat removed from the “real world.” We wish to expose our work to a new viewer-base, in hopes of expanding the artistic conversation. Storefronts located beyond gallery row draw fresh eyes and fresh perspectives. The differing perspectives can reveal new meanings and interpretations which can then be ascribed to the work. This can only be achieved through diverse viewership. It can serve as an introduction to a new realm of possibility. We hope to inspire others towards creation rather than destruction, to serve the community at large as well as the art community.