Susan Hoffman Fishman
Susan Hoffman Fishman is a third generation American Jew, raised within the American Conservative Movement and educated in art and art education during the turbulent American art movements of the 1970s. As a result, her collaborative work with Elena Kalman is a constant conversation across Jewish and secular cultures. "We are especially interested in participating in the mini-residency because of our belief in the value of and their dedication to interactive, participatory art as well as our natural connection to a collaborative project involving Jewish artists." http://www.make-a-wave.org/
Susan works as a very part-time grant-writer to Art Kibbutz and helps with Federation-relations. She plays an essential part in creating our artist fellowships and micro grants.
Susan Hoffman Fishman is a third generation American Jew, raised within the American Conservative Movement and educated in art and art education during the turbulent American art movements of the 1970s. As a result, her collaborative work with Elena Kalman is a constant conversation across Jewish and secular cultures. "We are especially interested in participating in the mini-residency because of our belief in the value of and their dedication to interactive, participatory art as well as our natural connection to a collaborative project involving Jewish artists." http://www.make-a-wave.org/
Susan works as a very part-time grant-writer to Art Kibbutz and helps with Federation-relations. She plays an essential part in creating our artist fellowships and micro grants.
Artist Statement
“Open House”
Site-Specific Installation on Governor’s Island, NYC, July – August, 2015
Artists: Susan Hoffman Fishman and Elena Kalman
After studying the potential spaces available to us in the former army officer’s home that was serving as the four-month studio and exhibition facility for Art Kibbutz, we ultimately chose to work under the main stairwell in a hallway on the first floor of this formerly elegant building that had lain fallow for years. Using black parachute cord, painter’s plastic and charcoal, we transformed the ‘dead’ space into an intimate place, an “open house,” in which visitors were ‘invited’ to imagine the past life that existed here and place themselves in its present configuration. The vertical, horizontal and diagonal lines that we hung from wall to ceiling to floor provide the outlines of a structure’s roof and walls and suggest the architectural elements of a fence, a portico, a gable. The pieces of plastic that are covering sections of the existing plaster walls in the hallway have become ‘paintings’ decorating the interior of the new structure. These ‘paintings’ are artifacts of the peeling paint and cracks that reflect the building’s decay and were created by rubbing charcoal gently over the plastic.
Open House is the first installation on the theme of home and homelessness that we are currently exploring in a new, collaborative, interactive public art project. A second installation in which participants create sections of a ‘home’ took place in Stamford, CT on August 5, 2015 in partnership with New Neighborhoods, Inc. and Shelter for the Homeless, non-profit organizations dedicated to providing affordable housing and shelter in the Stamford area.
Susan Hoffman Fishman is a painter, public artist and educator. Elena Kalman is an architect, painter, sculptor and public artist. Since 2011, they have collaborated on The Wave, a major interactive, public art project that has been installed in 19 museums, galleries, parks and schools in four states, including: The Peabody Essex Museum (Salem, MA), the Wadsworth Atheneum (Hartford, CT), The National Aquarium (Baltimore, MD), The Greenway (Boston, MA) and the Allegra LaViola Gallery (NYC). Please see www.make-a-wave.org for additional information.
“Open House”
Site-Specific Installation on Governor’s Island, NYC, July – August, 2015
Artists: Susan Hoffman Fishman and Elena Kalman
After studying the potential spaces available to us in the former army officer’s home that was serving as the four-month studio and exhibition facility for Art Kibbutz, we ultimately chose to work under the main stairwell in a hallway on the first floor of this formerly elegant building that had lain fallow for years. Using black parachute cord, painter’s plastic and charcoal, we transformed the ‘dead’ space into an intimate place, an “open house,” in which visitors were ‘invited’ to imagine the past life that existed here and place themselves in its present configuration. The vertical, horizontal and diagonal lines that we hung from wall to ceiling to floor provide the outlines of a structure’s roof and walls and suggest the architectural elements of a fence, a portico, a gable. The pieces of plastic that are covering sections of the existing plaster walls in the hallway have become ‘paintings’ decorating the interior of the new structure. These ‘paintings’ are artifacts of the peeling paint and cracks that reflect the building’s decay and were created by rubbing charcoal gently over the plastic.
Open House is the first installation on the theme of home and homelessness that we are currently exploring in a new, collaborative, interactive public art project. A second installation in which participants create sections of a ‘home’ took place in Stamford, CT on August 5, 2015 in partnership with New Neighborhoods, Inc. and Shelter for the Homeless, non-profit organizations dedicated to providing affordable housing and shelter in the Stamford area.
Susan Hoffman Fishman is a painter, public artist and educator. Elena Kalman is an architect, painter, sculptor and public artist. Since 2011, they have collaborated on The Wave, a major interactive, public art project that has been installed in 19 museums, galleries, parks and schools in four states, including: The Peabody Essex Museum (Salem, MA), the Wadsworth Atheneum (Hartford, CT), The National Aquarium (Baltimore, MD), The Greenway (Boston, MA) and the Allegra LaViola Gallery (NYC). Please see www.make-a-wave.org for additional information.
