New arts venue Unsmoke Systems is the latest cultural force to emerge from revitalization efforts in
Braddock.
Located at 1137 Braddock Ave., the gallery is part of a complex of properties purchased by Braddock Mayor John Fetterman and Deputy Mayor Jeb Feldman in 2007. Built in 1904 as a Catholic school, the 17,000-square-foot property also houses seven art studios ranging in size from 400 to 700 square feet. “We’ve touched every surface in one way or another, redone floors, added lighting and painted,” adds Feldman, who says the project is steered by an artist cooperative. "I’ve emptied six dumpsters out of the building."
Unsmoke Systems opens on July 19, with an inaugural exhibition curated by Heather Pesanti of the
Carnegie Museum of Art. Passionate about the relationship between industrial landscapes and the creative process of the 16 artists—half of them from Braddock—she selected for the show, Pesanti encouraged direct interventions with the building.
“The artists are colonizing the whole building—hallways stairwells, three floors. It’ll be like a treasure map to find the artists and explore the building as you go,” adds Pesanti, who asked artists to respond to work by
Life on Mars artist
Wilhelm Sasnal, whose films will also be screened. “Sasnal’s films relate to Braddock and the abandoned building itself. The museum is excited about a big institution partnering with a grassroots avant-garde community.”
The project received a
Sprout Seed Award and in-kind support from the
Mattress Factory and
Nakturnal. The event will also feature a teenage dance performance, DJs and after-party.
Plans are also underway to bring a youth hostel, furniture manufacturer and bread oven to the Braddock Ave. properties.
Writer:
Jennifer BaronSources: Jeb Feldman, Deputy Mayor of Braddock; Heather Pesanti, assistant curator of contemporary art, Carnegie Museum of Art
Image courtesy Unsmoke Systems