The Manifest Destiny Billboard Project Culminating Weekend: coming to Los Angeles from June 25-28!
The Manifest Destiny Billboard Project’s Culminating Weekend will bring together the 10 projects that unfolded across the country over the course of 20 months and 2,415 miles to complete its journey at the westernmost destination of I-10: Los Angeles.
From June 25-28, LAND will host a long weekend of artist programs, readings, screenings, public activations, installations, dialogues, city explorations and other happenings in Los Angeles to conclude The Manifest Destiny Billboard Project, LAND’s cross-country series of 100 artist-produced billboards and activations, which has been unfolding along on Interstate 10 since October 2013. The weekend events will explore the themes of the project in relation to this city, with a majority free and open to the public.
Conceived by artist Zoe Crosher and co-curated by the artist and Shamim M. Momin, The Manifest Destiny Billboard Project has linked together 10 artists and 10 cities: John Baldessari (San Antonio, TX), Sanford Biggers (New Orleans, LA), Matthew Brannon (Los Angeles, CA), Zoe Crosher (Palm Springs, CA), Eve Fowler (Houston, TX), Shana Lutker (Jacksonville, FL), Jeremy Shaw (El Paso, TX), Daniel R. Small (Las Cruces, NM), Bobbi Woods (Tucson, AZ), and Mario Ybarra, Jr. (Mobile, AL).
Funds to support the culminating weekend were raised through Kickstarter,
and LAND was able to meet its initial $18,000 goal with over $20,000 in
donations. Enormous thanks to our 153 donors for your incredible generosity! Your support will enable us to carry out our exciting plans for the weekend, and we look forward to seeing you in Los Angeles in June.
Ideas in progress for this jam-packed “road trip” of activities across the city include:
-An exhibition of the billboards vinyls and a project archive from each of the 10 artists
-A city-wide, interactive scavenger hunt
-A city guide from the artists that will offer an itinerary for the weekend to keep in your pocket (or glove box!), including artist selections for things to do in Los Angeles and landmarks along I-10
-A public launch party with the artists, featuring regional drinks and delights from each of the 10 project locales
-Artist projects, performances, screenings, and activities to bring the project to its conclusion in LA and provide insight into some of the artists’ motivations, billboard chapters, and activations that occurred over the duration of the project. Possibilities and ideas include: a ribbon-tying on the beach by artist Shana Lutker to mirror the project’s launch in Jacksonville, FL; a perfume-making workshop led by artist and co-curator Zoe Crosher; an exploration of the city’s historic murals; a conversation with artist John Baldessari; a Los Angeles area site visit with Daniel R. Small related to his Las Cruces, NM chapter; a screening of films by artists Bobbi Woods, Eve Fowler, and Jeremy Shaw; a celebration of artist Matthew Brannon’s final Los Angeles chapter of the exhibition, held in a historic theater; a discussion with local experts in the fields of American history, critical studies, Los Angeles history, and urban development; a beachside panel featuring the artists and curators followed by a cocktail party; and a concluding party at a historic location in Los Angeles.
Stay tuned to this space on our website for developments, additional program announcements, citywide partners, and much more!
Thank you to Kickstarter, the Art Basel Crowdfunding Initiative, and all of our 153 phenomenal individual project campaign backers for making this weekend possible.
