Thank you to Lauren Landry at Boston Inno
Mission Hill’s “Big Blue House” sparked the movement — an apartment where student artists were collaborating organically on large-scale paintings, scribbling down the lyrics to new melodies and building sculptures out of kitchen appliances. “There was an explosion of creativity going on at that place,” says Olivia Ives-Flores. Her goal? To find a way to harness that.
Ives-Flores started the “Acorn Street Art Project” when she was a student at the School of Museum of Fine Arts. Held in a private townhouse on Beacon Hill, the Project intermingled artists from the Big Blue House with a “white-haired, dignified crowd.” The show sold out in two hours.
Great Fruit Productions fed off that success. In conjunction with the Millennium Campus Network, Ives-Flores started coordinating pop-up shows and guerilla music concerts. Yet, she couldn’t stop talking with her friend Miguel de Braganza about opening up a permanent space…..
read more after the jump…
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Dear Friends,
We are writing you to share the news that YES.OUI.SI. on 19 Vancouver st. will be taking a hiatus over the summer starting in June. First of all we would like to thank all of the artists, musicians, promoters, collectives, volunteers and guests who have helped breath life and creativity in to a once derelict basement. Together we transformed YES.OUI.SI. in to a vibrant, eclectic and much needed nexus for art and culture in Boston. Since we opened our doors in November 2010 we have curated twelve exhibitions showcasing a wide variety of work by local emerging artists, we have also hosted over 200 bands, film makers, poets, designers & performers as well as providing an affordable venue for collectives, schools and event producers who needed a space to share their initiatives.
YES.OUI.SI. was founded by a dedicated team of artists and musicians who have volunteered their talent, time and energy to keep the space running. Based off of pure devotion to the evolving art community in Boston, we have spent the past 2 years working tirelessly to develop a safe haven for emerging artists. The time has come for the founders to branch out and personally gain perspective and experience in order to continue doing a good job supporting our mission.
The future of YES.OUI.SI. as a physical art space is uncertain. The decision to return in the fall is contingent on the support of Boston. It is clear how integral YES.OUI.SI. is to the creative eco-system in this city. It provides young talent an opportunity to showcase their work, collaborate, and engage in a creative community. In an effort to perpetuate the triple affirmative in Boston, we are asking for your help.
Please let us know what you think. Is it important for spaces like YES.OUI.SI. to exist in this city? What do the arts do for you and what can you do for the arts? How do artists make your city a better place to live? Do you know of an available space we can use for free? Do you know someone who would like to sponsor YES.OUI.SI.?
Your answers will be used to help us understand how we can make the most effective contribution.
Please feel free to share this with all of your friends. Make sure to “like”us on FaceBook to stay up-to-date with our remaining events and engage in the conversation about the future.
In creativity,
Olivia Ives-Flores & Miguel de Braganza
