The Inside Out Project: Community For a Clean Coast
The Inside Out Project is the world’s largest participatory art project and it's happening here in Victoria on Saturday, August 16th. Join the Community for a Clean Coast at the Dallas Rd. breakwater while 225 photographic portraits of local Victoria residents are pasted onto the breakwater walkway.
Image courtesy of Community for a Clean Coast
Here's some background history on this exciting worldwide initiative from one of the local group action co-founders, Sheila Alonzo:
The Inside Out Project is a global platform for people to share their stories and transform messages of personal identity into works of public art. It was started by the artist JR in Paris, France. His street art has been highlighted in New York City, London and throughout Europe, China and Africa. He started the Inside Out Project after winning the TED prize at the TED Conference in Long Beach California in 2011. Each Inside Out group action around the world is documented, archived and exhibited online. Over 120,000 people from more than 108 countries have participated.
The Inside Out Project has traveled from Ecuador to Nepal, from Mexico to Palestine, inspiring group actions on varied themes such as hope, diversity, gender-based violence, climate change.
Go to insideoutproject.net for more information about the Project.
An Inside Out Group Action happens when group leaders commit to leading their own independently organized project somewhere in the world. Group leaders choose a statement and gather participants to have their portraits taken with the statement as their focus.
The Inside Out Project Group Action in Victoria is called Community for a Clean Coast.
This group action highlights the community of people who care deeply about our coastal waters in British Columbia. Our ocean needs our attention and these people not only care, but are deeply connected to our coastal waters. Their lives - our lives are affected by the ocean's health. British Columbians care about the future of our coastal waters and every individual in each portrait feels connected to the ocean and has made a commitment to do something to care for the ocean. For example:
- One individual cleaned up cigarette butts on one beach.
- One individual sailed the coast photographing wildlife and coastal communities and created a book.
Image courtesy of Community for a Clean Coast
Here's the timeline of events for Saturday, August 16th:
10am- Water Ceremony with Rose Henry
10:15- Pasting begins!!
12- Paddle Out- Bring a vessel and get out on the water (if you want!)
1:30 -Outdoor Patio Party with The Kraken Food Truck at Breakwater Bistro
The Food Truck Party will be an opportunity to celebrate, connect, and learn about ways we can do good for the Pacific together.
While The Inside Out Project at Dallas Road isn't on our official art crawl tour map, we encourage the community to view, participate, and experience this art project in addition to your Integrate Arts Festival experience on August 16th. To learn more about the Group Action, visit communityforacleancoast.org and follow the initiative on Facebook and Instagram.
For questions / comments please contact sheila.alonzo@gmail.com.