The Stare Well
Blacklight reactive installation inspired by neon nights in Atlantic City and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, where nothing is as it seems and dreams become reality.
Tabitha Brown (Andromedia Art)
Blacklight reactive installation inspired by neon nights in Atlantic City and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, where nothing is as it seems and dreams become reality.
Tabitha Brown (Andromedia Art)
"Bitter/Sweet" is my art installation created for "ARTeriors at The James" and inspired by the former James Candy Company on the iconic Atlantic City Boardwalk. The concept explores the duality of two opposing forces in an immersive experience featuring found and repurposed confectionery materials. The aesthetic is a push and pull between the bold/expressive BITTER and the soft/ethereal SWEET.
As you move through the space, I invite you to notice the found materials that have been given a second life, such as...
“Wall paper” made from store wrapping paper;
Wicker chairs revamped into my version of “peacock chairs”;
Baker’s racks used as “moveable frames” for cellophane paintings;
Metal sheet pans now “canvases” for the portrait paintings;
James candy sign turned into a “stencil” for floor painting;
Candy box “mobiles” suspended from the ceiling.
In creating this space, I’ve pushed outside my boundaries to explore new materials, process, application, and unique ways of visual storytelling.
Allowing yourself to consider… where SWEET and BITTER converge.
Chanelle René
@beingchanellerene | chanellerene.com
Chanelle René is an award-winning, New Jersey contemporary figurative painter and mural artist. Her use of vibrant colors and painterly brushstrokes in oils and mixed media often celebrate the feminine figure to create narrative and engaging works from original canvases to large-scale murals. Chanelle has exhibited nationally and internationally with works held in private and public collections. A self-taught artist, she embraced the ‘pandemic pause’ to transition from a 20+ year career in digital marketing to become a full-time artist. A true believer that anyone can ‘shine your vibe’ at any stage of life, Chanelle’s artwork embodies endless possibilities.
Since Atlantic City is the birthplace of the saltwater taffy, I decided to incorporate the most familiar color that comes to mind for me when I think about saltwater taffys stemming back to when I was a child which is the teal green colored candies. I used three different hues of this color to create the composition in the center of my installation. The outside sculptural border I chose to use the color white inspired by sea foam which was left over in David Bradley’s store on the boardwalk that was left soaking into taffys on the floor caused by a flood that was sold to a child as a joke and created the very first saltwater taffy.
Anthony ( Seper ) Torcasio
Materials: GFRC, Foam, Plaster Polyurethane, Salvaged Taffy trays, Copper Kettel, Tables, Shelves, Palettes.
Jim Dessicino
Within the confines of a warehouse space shrouded in tarps, an installation emerges, a testament to the resilience of nature and the potential for human action. A short film, captured through a child-like, first-person perspective, unfolds upon a pristine expanse of recycled seamless paper, inviting viewers to embark on a journey of discovery amidst the wonders of nature. The film's raw, handheld aesthetic, reminiscent of a childhood exploration, mirrors the unfiltered essence of human interaction with the natural world.
The projector, perched atop a weathered commercial baking rack, serves as an anchor for the installation, its worn surface reflecting the passage of time and the challenges we face. The rack, covered in dust and plastic, symbolizes the remnants of our past consumption and the need for transformation. A plastic flowering vine adorns the rack, adding a touch of artificial vitality to the scene, hinting at the potential for renewal amidst decay.
The installation's location at the back of the warehouse, tucked away beneath the tarps, underscores the delicate balance between our exploitation of nature and the need for preservation. The tarps, like a veil over the installation, create a sense of secrecy and anticipation, inviting viewers to delve into the hidden depths of our relationship with the natural world. The use of a DVD player and a projector call out the increasing speed at which technology becomes obsolete.
As viewers navigate this immersive experience, they are confronted with the paradox of our existence: our dependence on nature for sustenance and inspiration versus our relentless exploitation and destruction of its resources. The recycled seamless paper, a product of consumption and waste, serves as a stark reminder of our unsustainable practices and the need for radical change.
The weathered baking rack, the plastic flowering vine, and the hidden location within the warehouse all contribute to the installation's overall atmosphere of rawness and authenticity. They reflect the imperfections of nature and the challenges we face in our relationship with it.
Yet, amidst this rawness, there is also a glimmer of hope. The film's exploration of nature's resilience and the ambient soundscape's gentle melodies suggest that we can find a way to coexist harmoniously with the natural world. The installation serves as a call to action, urging us to move beyond mere awareness and towards meaningful action.
Lucy Sanchez
Seas of stormy doubt crash across the shores of our self-confidence,
man vs. nature vs. man vs. self in a tempest of id and ego,
prevailing winds of cognitive dissonance
lay waste the wreckage of these uncertain seas.
Atlantic City’s Beach Rave visionaries Vizawave and Noetrope collaborate on an immersive and interactive scenescape of dynamic audio visual design and theatrical set construction, with reactive LED pixel lighting, projection mapping, and special effects that simulate the experience of a stormy shipwreck.
Dylan Toogood and Tina Notaro
@Vizawave | @noetrope | notarotina@gmail.com | vizawave@gmail.com
Sydney Mount’s “Garden of Sugary Delights” installation encompasses the bright excitement and reminiscent memories of the classic Candy-land board game while also drawing inspiration from medieval iconography. To work with the unique space of The James building, Mount incorporates a “Hell Mouth” design which is a depiction of the Gates of Hell typically shown as the gaping mouth of a monster. This installation was created with spray paint, acrylic paint, and various found objects from the original candy factory.
Sydney Mount
Media Advisory – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – November 7, 2023
(Atlantic City, NJ) – ARTeriors at The James opens Friday, November 10th with an Opening Night soirée from 6-9 pm. The James Taffy Building at 1519 Boardwalk, former home to the iconic James Candy Company, is now reborn as an immersive pop-up art installation, thanks to the creativity of 25 extraordinary artists. From the sweet origins of Salt Water Taffy in 1880 to the present, each installation lovingly weaves in the rich tapestry of this historic site.
Since its start, ARTeriors has highlighted the potential of Atlantic City and brought the impact of the arts to the forefront. In 2015, four local artists transformed 121 S. Tennessee Avenue, when the Orange Loop neighborhood was on the cusp of redevelopment and renewal. The inaugural location became MADE Atlantic City Chocolate and is currently Bar 32.
“Returning to the Orange Loop for the 10th iteration of ARTeriors, 8 years after our initial program, is incredibly powerful. The neighborhood has transformed into a hub for arts and culture while Atlantic City has become a place that uplifts and expands the arts. Surrounded by new businesses, a thriving arts scene, and an eager, supportive community I’ve never felt more is possible for ARTeriors, the Atlantic City Arts Foundation, and Atlantic City,” shared Kate O’Malley, ACAF executive director.
Tickets for the opening are $30 and include admission, food by Cardinal, and two drink tickets for beverages from The Seed and Little Water Distillery. The event will feature music by DJ Lousy and free parking is available in Cardinal’s lot, located on New York Avenue next to the restaurant. Visit acartsfoundation.org/arteriorsthejames for tickets; purchases will also be available at the door.
WHEN: Friday, November 10, 2023, from 6-9 pm
WHERE:
The James
1519 Boardwalk
Atlantic City, NJ 08401
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The Atlantic City Arts Foundation’s diverse programs & partnerships activate community pride & civic self-esteem through interaction with public art, including the city’s largest mural arts program. ACAF is dedicated to increasing public art access and fostering community art appreciation in Atlantic City, NJ. Programs include 48 Blocks Atlantic City, Chalk About AC and ARTeriors. ACAF is an independent 501(c)3 non-profit organization. www.atlanticcityartsfoundation.org/
Media Advisory – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – October 3, 2023
(Atlantic City, NJ) – On Friday, October 27, at 5 pm the Atlantic City Arts Foundation & Atlantic Cape Community College will dedicate “In Memory Of…”, a Jacob Lawrence tribute mural, located at Atlantic Cape’s Worthington Campus.
The 3-panel mural was brought to life by local artists Kenneth Lazan Faulk, Jr., John Morris, and Chanelle René, in collaboration with young Atlantic City artists from the Leaders in Training program: Yah’Sir Bell, Dwayne Carter, J’Nai Crouch, Jacob Flores, Quamira Hardy, and Kayani Lin.
Lawrence, hailed as a master storyteller, was born on September 7, 1917, in Atlantic City's Ward 3, across the street from the campus where the Save-A-Lot now stands. His work continues to resonate deeply with the community, and we are honored to celebrate his life and legacy through art.
WHO:
Kate O’Malley, Executive Director, Atlantic City Arts Foundation
Lizbeth Castro James, Director, Worthington Campus and Community Outreach, Atlantic Cape Community College
Kaleem Shabazz, Atlantic City Councilman, 3rd Ward, City of Atlantic City
Valeria Marcus, Artist & Atlantic City Resident
Kenneth Lazan Faulk, Jr., Muralist
John Morris, Muralist
Chanelle René, Muralist
WHEN: Friday, October 27, 2023 at 5 pm; reception to follow
WHERE:
Atlantic Cape Community College in the back parking lot
1535 Bacharach Blvd
Atlantic City, NJ 08401
“In Memory Of…” is funded by Atlantic Cape Community College, Midtown CDC, Thriv, ThriveAC Fund, Stockton University, and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. The project was initially conceived and researched by Valeria Marcus.
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The Atlantic City Arts Foundation’s diverse programs & partnerships activate community pride & civic self-esteem through interaction with public art, including the city’s largest mural arts program. ACAF is dedicated to increasing public art access and fostering community art appreciation in Atlantic City, NJ. Programs include 48 Blocks Atlantic City, Chalk About AC and ARTeriors. ACAF is an independent 501(c)3 non-profit organization. www.atlanticcityartsfoundation.org/