First Alert Forward: Counterpublic exhibition returns to St. Louis, featuring dozens of public installations

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - One of the nation’s largest public art exhibitions has returned to St. Louis for a three-month run, with dozens of installations around the city.

Counterpublic, a triennial event, is a city-wide event that places sculptures, murals and other art throughout local neighborhoods, spotlighting the region’s robust arts community.

One installation sits in vacant lots along Enright Ave., a block north of Delmar. Brianna McIntyre and Andre Fuqua, the artists behind a local initiative called “Occupy Vacancy,” used reclaimed brick and other materials to construct sculptures that recall the city’s booming years around the turn of the century.

“It’s interesting to think about St. Louis back when every inch was used,” McIntyre said.

One of the works is a brick-and-mortar pyramid-shaped sculpture. The other is a doorway with a large mirror. The artists found the original blueprints showing the floor plan and history of a home that once stood on the site, which is laid out in native plantings in the lot.

“We wanted it to represent a portal of some kind, what was and what could be,” McIntyre said.

The two artists described the project as a kind of approach to developing vacant property. “We need all perspectives to heal the city. This is our take on how to develop vacant land and parcels. Our approach is to give and expand the idea of what development can be,” she said.

“There are so many remnants of amazing places that exist here in St. Louis,” Fuqua said.

Wanda Nanibush, a Canada-based curator, helped bring in several of the projects, including a sculpture by Glenn Ligon near Laclede’s Landing that honors enslaved people who helped build the city. The sculpture’s bricks were shaped by local high school students and senior citizens.

“I think people are inspired by St. Louis and its depth of history. Every neighborhood in St. Louis is connected to each other,” Nanibush said.

An installation in the Ville included a new walking path and a swing at a community garden.

“We’re in The Ville and we had a report saying that people wanted green spaces and places to play. I think it’s important to bring that kind of art to a neighborhood that interacts. I think people see art as a separate sphere and it’s not part of daily life. This makes it feel like art plays a role in our daily life,” Nanibush said.

A resident named Katie said, “I was really excited to see art in the community. That’s what we’ve been seeing so far is that they’re in all the neighborhoods and not just set spaces.”

Counterpublic is one example of the city’s national reputation in the arts, alongside events such as the St. Louis Art Fair, Paint Louis and Music at the Intersection.

Kristin Fleischmann Brewer, an organizer with Counterpublic, said, “Our mission is to imagine the possibilities of art in our lives and public space. For us this year it was about imagining hope and perspective through the lens of an artist and what that looks like.”

The project includes a series of events and walking tours over the next few weeks.

“For a city of our size, we have incredible arts institutions, and everything is free, which those of us who live here know. It’s important to showcase the world-class art scene that St. Louis has. What we’re doing in terms of bringing public art into everyday spaces is trying to tie it all together,” Fleischmann Brewer said.

“So much starts with the pride we have in our city and reflecting that ourselves. When we show people around, we should be excited. St. Louis has a lot of grit and a lot of space, some of the things we think as people who live here as maybe negative, if we spin that and see them as opportunities we have the ability to experiment and do things we can set examples for other cities,” she said.

McIntyre said, “If you want to move forward you can’t be beholden to the past. You have to look for new opportunities.”

Fuqua said, “I just think St. Louis has a lot of potential and people should know that about the arts community here.”

McIntyre said, “St. Louis has always had the human capital to create international players. St. Louis needs to gain perspective on itself. I think people don’t realize all that St. Louis has to offer and I think understanding what comes behind you propels you to the future.”