An Exhibition of Sight & Sound: Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, AND Creative, and City of Annapolis Bring Music, Nature and Local Art to City Dock; New public art installation transforms City Dock construction fencing into an art Gallery celebrating Annapolis artists to encourage residents and visitors to explore the downtown waterfront
Photo Courtesy Annapolis Symphony Orchestra
ANNAPOLIS, MD. — A stretch of construction fencing along the waterfront promenade at Annapolis City Dock now features an outdoor, walkable art installation that showcases naturescapes of the Chesapeake Bay region as captured by Maryland photographers and a series of portraits by local visual artists.
The Annapolis Symphony Orchestra (ASO), the Annapolis creative consulting group AND Creative, and the City of Annapolis partnered to install a series of large-scale photographic panels along City Dock, an outdoor art gallery entitled An Exhibition of Sight & Sound.
A celebration of the free exhibit will be held on August 26th at 1 PM. Members of the press and the public are invited to attend. Exhibit organizers, the City of Annapolis Mayor Jared Littman, ASO Executive Director Erica Bondarev Rapach and ASO Artistic Director Jose-Luis Novo, photographers, artists and others will be on hand for the unveiling.
The project was conceived as a way to transform a necessary piece of the City Dock construction landscape into an artistic experience that gives residents and visitors another reason to walk the waterfront, explore downtown Annapolis and patronize the businesses surrounding Dock Street.
Stretching approximately 180 feet along Ego Alley, the installation pairs photographs of Chesapeake landscapes and wildlife with musical works from the ASO’s 65th season, In Nature’s Realm. A curated exhibit of portraiture by local artists mounted on panels are also displayed alongside the photography. Each panel in the art gallery is 5 feet tall and 10 feet wide.
Images by Jay Fleming, Emily Carter, Alison Harbaugh, Pam Ehrenfield, Jennifer Casey and Arden Haley capture extraordinary views of the Chesapeake region. Visual Artists Joanna Bigelow, Charles Lawrence, Marissa S. Evangelista, Gia Tonic, Anita Hagan, Glory Paredes, Alison Chase Radcliffe (ACR), and Jeff Huntington contributed portrait pieces for the exhibit. An Exhibition of Sight & Sound invites viewers to pause to appreciate our shared natural world and the talent of Annapolis artists.
The project presented an opportunity for the ASO to take the theme of their upcoming season, In Nature’s Realm, beyond the concert hall. The ASO’s 65th season explores the relationship between music and the natural world — from forests and oceans to storms, wildlife, and the natural forces that inspire art and music. Composers including Dvořák, Sibelius, Beethoven, Britten, Jennifer Higdon, Tan Dun and others have used music to remind us of our physical and emotional connection to the world around us. The City Dock installation gives area residents and visitors alike an opportunity to encounter musical ideas visually.
“One of the things we want the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra to continually ask is how music can become part of the life of our community,” said Bondarev Rapach. ”We saw a construction fence and imagined a gallery. This project connects our musicians, our season, local visual artists, and visitors to downtown Annapolis in a way that is creative and welcoming and on a scale that reflects our bold and ambitious goals for community and artistic impact.”
Critical advocacy and partnership came from Darin Gilliam and Alison Harbaugh of AND Creative and ArtFarm, who worked closely with the ASO, the photographers, and the visual artists to translate the concept into a cohesive large-scale installation.
“Helping to bring this outdoor exhibit to life is a big part of what we do at AND Creative,” said Harbaugh. “We bring art to the people and create conversations around it. By placing creative work in public spaces, we aren’t just beautifying a space, we are reminding every neighbor and visitor that creativity belongs everywhere, especially in the heart of our city. It’s so important to showcase our talented area artists in these unexpected places and to use art to bring more people into Downtown Annapolis.”
Their involvement helped bring together photography, typography, visual storytelling and the practical demands of designing artwork that needed to be weatherproof, artistically appealing, and relevant to locals and tourists alike as they experience downtown Annapolis. MinuteMan Press sponsored printing of the exhibit.
“The opportunity to support local Annapolis art and artists aligns strongly with our core values at Minuteman Press Annapolis,” said new owner Billy Ruehl. “Deciding on this partnership was a quick and easy yes. We’re proud to support these artistic community initiatives.”
The connection between arts activity and downtown vitality was important from the project’s beginning. For visitors, the installation offers another way to experience City Dock during its transformation. For downtown businesses — particularly those along Dock Street — the project organizers hope the panels will encourage people to linger, walk the length of the installation, then continue exploring the surrounding shops, restaurants and waterfront. The exhibit is unique, remarkable, and should draw the attention of visitors to businesses along Ego Alley.
The idea received enthusiastic support from the City of Annapolis, whose willingness to consider a creative use of the construction area helped make the installation possible.
“When the idea of turning construction fencing around the City Dock revitalization project into a walkable public art display came up, we immediately said ‘yes,’” said Annapolis Mayor Jared Littmann. “An Exhibition of Sight & Sound turns a necessary barrier into a celebration of local artists, giving residents and visitors alike a wonderful new reason to experience downtown, all while we build for the future.”
The project required review and approval by the Historic Preservation Commission, an especially important consideration given City Dock’s historic setting.
Visitors are encouraged to explore the installation at City Dock, photograph their favorite panels and share their experience with the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra on social media using the hashtag #CITYDOCKGALLERY.
This free public art exhibit will be followed by others at the Michael E. Busch Annapolis Library, Arundel Center, and BWI Gateway Gallery, each managed by the ASO and AND Creative. The art exhibits are made possible with support from The Arts Council of Anne Arundel County.
