On May 31^st, the Sculptors Guild of New York will unveil IN-SITE, a summer-long exhibition of sculpture, installation and multi-media artwork to celebrate the transformation of historic Governors Island into a public park and cultural center. Guild members and artists from Denmark, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Russia, China, and Turkey will fill the central green of the island, 2 floors of the historic Governor's Mansion, and the Governors Island Ferry with artworks.  The work of over 60 artists will be on display, including 21 sites with large-scale outdoor sculpture, indoor sculpture, video, performance, and installation. Weekend tours of IN-SITE conducted by Sculptors Guild members will offer a perspective on the ideas and conceptual thinking behind the works on display. The exhibition is curated by Sculptors Guild president Jerelyn Hanrahan.

Opening Weekend at IN-SITE:

The IN-SITE opening reception on Sunday, June 8, from noon-6 pm is free and open to the public. There will be hourly tours of IN-SITE by guild members, and refreshments including ice cream.  In June, the Warsaw-based artist collaborative Szu Szu will engage visitors on the Governors Island Ferry with an interactive performance in which they will "take over" the ferry as singing pirates during the 10-minute ride.

A VIP preview party on Saturday, June 7^th, will offer over 200 members of the press, art critics, curators and artists special access to IN-SITE and Governors Island, an opportunity to view the work and interact with Guild members. The Preview will feature entertainment, cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, and private tours of the work on display.

IN-SITE Throughout the Summer

In keeping with the Guild's commitment to broadening the audience and definitions of contemporary sculpture, IN-SITE will be accompanied by tours and educational programming. Exhibiting member artists will conduct walking tours that will reach visitors on a personal level, offering first-hand insight into the creative process related to the works on display.

In addition to IN-SITE, a full calendar of weekend events will occur on the island throughout the summer, providing visitors with a wide range of activities. The island was an active military base until the 1960's, and was used during the American Revolution, the  War of 1812, and the Civil War. This summer, visitors can walk, jog, and bicycle around the beautiful, park-like landscape, and enjoy live music concerts, dance performances, historic tours, picnics, and other activities.

 

The Sculptors Guild

The Sculptors Guild of New York was founded in 1938, and has a renowned and rich history of supporting visionary artists of divergent aesthetics. IN-SITE will honor past members with a commemorative installation of inscribed stones that will line the pathway leading from the boat launch to the exhibition location. The Guild has a busy regional and international exhibition agenda. Recent Guild exhibition venues have included art fairs in Stockholm and Cologne. Over its long history the Guild has staged exhibitions at the Guggenheim Museum, the International Building at Rockefeller Plaza, Bryant Park and the New York Botanical Garden, in addition to traveling shows circulated by the Carnegie Corporation, the American Federation of the Arts and Hofstra University, to name a few.

Admission to the ferry and island is free, and begins May 31 at 10am via the Governors Island Ferry that runs from the Marine Terminal next to the Staten Island Ferry Building in lower Manhattan. The exhibition will continue until October 1, 2008. For information about The Sculptors Guild and the IN-SITE exhibition, go to www.sculptorsguild.org. For general information about visiting Governors Island, go to http://www.govisland.com.