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Artisphere, Apartment Zero, Dance Exchange and the Rosslyn BID to Participate in PARK(ING) DAY

Parking Spaces Around The Globe to be Temporarily Reclaimed for People on September 16, 2011

Arlington, VA— In cities around the globe on September 16, 2011, artists, activists and citizens will temporarily transform metered parking spaces into public parks and other social spaces, as part of an annual event called “PARK(ing) Day.” Artisphere has partnered with Apartment Zero, Dance Exchange and the Rosslyn Business Improvement District to bring this event to Rosslyn and transform two parking spaces in front of Artisphere into a tranquil lounge space to relax and enjoy from 8:30am to 6:30pm. Dance Exchange will perform a site-specific version of their dance work, Hammock, from 5pm to 6:30pm. 

Originally invented in 2005 by Rebar, a San Francisco-based art and design studio operating at the intersection of art, design and ecology, PARK(ing) Day challenges people to rethink the way streets are used and reinforces the need for broad-based changes to urban infrastructure. Since 2005, the project has blossomed into a worldwide grassroots movement: PARK(ing) Day 2010 included more than 800 “PARK” installations in more than 180 cities in 30 countries on six continents. This year, the project continues to expand to urban centers across the globe. “Artisphere is excited to work with our partners to help re-imagine the possibilities of the urban landscape,” says Artisphere Executive Director José Ortiz. “We remain committed to sharing art with the largest possible audience and Park(ing) Day provides an opportunity to activate art outdoors through design and performance in Rosslyn.”

Against the backdrop of a contemporary relaxation experience created by multi-disciplinary design and curatorial studio Apartment Zero, Dance Exchange will perform“Rest Easy,” a site-specific installation element of Hammock in which Dance Exchange artist Sarah Levitt will seek rest in repetition from 5pm-6:30pm on September 16. The stage version of Hammock strips away the high-tech production elements of modern performance, instead focusing on the human body and the stage space they inhabit. Choreographed by Dance Exchange artists Sarah Levitt and Benjamin Wegman, Hammock explores rest as a defiant and aggressive act. The artists describe their process as one that “shifts between rest and productivity, talking and silence, being seen and disappearing, virtuosity and ‘that doesn’t look like a dance,’ changing the world and giving up for good.” Hammock was originally commissioned by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as part of Performing Arts for Everyone at the Millennium Stage for its debut on September 8 and 9, 2011.

PARK(ing) Day is an “open-source” user-generated invention created by independent groups around the globe who adapt the project to champion creative, social or political causes that are relevant to their local urban conditions. More information on Rosslyn’s PARK(ing) Day can be found at www.artisphere.com and a global map of all participating cities are available on the PARK(ing) Day website, at www.parkingday.org.

ABOUT ROSSLYN PARK(ING) DAY 2011 PARTNERS

Artisphere is a new breed of urban arts center that features four performance venues, three visual art galleries, a 4,000 square foot ballroom, free Wi-Fi and here CaféBar. Artisphere’s wide array of programming ranges from contemporary visual art, theatre, live music, and film to new media, family programs and dance. Artisphere is located at 1101 Wilson Boulevard in Arlington, Virginia, two blocks from the Rosslyn Metro (blue/orange) and within walking distance of Georgetown. Artisphere is open Monday through Friday from 11am to 11pm; Saturday from 11am to 2am and Sunday from 11am to 6pm. Admission to Artisphere and all its visual art galleries is free; there is a cost for ticketed events. Artisphere is pleased to offer its patrons free parking evenings after 5pm and all day on weekends. For more information about Artisphere, visit www.artisphere.com. 

Artisphere is managed by Arlington County’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources and supported in part by the Rosslyn Business Improvement District, corporations, foundations and individuals.

Apartment Zero is a multi-disciplinary design and curatorial studio devoted to bringing the very best in industrial design innovations to the forefront of public discourse. Apartment Zero has partnered with area embassies, museums, arts spaces and universities to produce design exhibitions, symposiums and public programs in an effort to bring awareness to the many achievements in contemporary culture and design.

Dance Exchange breaks boundaries between stage and audience, theater and community, movement and language, tradition and the unexplored. Founded in 1976 by Liz Lerman and now under the artistic direction of Cassie Meador, Dance Exchange stretches the range of contemporary dance through explosive dancing, personal stories, humor, and a company of performers whose ages span six decades. The work consists of concerts, interactive performances, community residencies, and professional training in community-based dance. Dance Exchange employs a collaborative approach to dance making and administration. Recent and current projects include explorations of coal mining, genetic research, human rights, particle physics, ecology, land use, and rest in a hyper-driven society.

The Rosslyn Business Improvement District provides services designed to make Rosslyn an exciting, urban commercial center. Funded by a special tax paid by property owners in the 17-block commercial office core, the work program includes marketing and promotion; social service coordination; beautification, cleaning and maintenance of public areas; economic development; community activities and events; and transportation, parking, pedestrian and safety programs. Visit www.rosslynva.org for more information.