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Amarillo Area Foundation

The Art of Tape

By October 12, 2017No Comments

Our friends at the Citadelle Art Foundation in Canadian have quite an exciting event coming up for the month of October.  Tape Art has become a nationwide phenomenon in the 28 years since it first started. The Citadelle Art Foundation is proud to bring this dynamic and collaborative form of art to the Texas Panhandle for the month of October. Life-sized murals created using only low-adhesive tape will temporarily adorn The Citadelle Art Foundation.

An installation of previous work.

“We are fortunate to be able to bring this group of incredible artists to our community,” says Executive Director Wendie Cook.  “This group is extremely talented and their work has been featured on some of the most prestigious landmarks in the country. To be able to share this work with the people of the Panhandle is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

There will be exciting events though out the month that the whole family will enjoy.  In addition to the events around Canadian, the muralists will be going to Spearman, Stratford, and Perryton for some educational workshops.  

History of Tape Art

Tape Art was born in Providence, Rhode Island in the 1980’s. The movement began with a collection of nightly drawings made in tape on sidewalks and in public spaces. The drawings sprawled across the landscape depicting scenes of chariots, trains, and roller coasters all rendered in life-sized silhouettes. When these works of art were finished, they were always removed within 24 hours. It wasn’t unusual to see a silhouette come to life, only to disappear when the sun came up the next day. The projects quickly grew in popularity because they made art entertaining and accessible to everyone.

A promotional installation on the police station in Amarillo.

It wasn’t long before national press picked up on the drawings and the Tape Art movement took on a life of its own. At one point, the Tape Art Crew traveled 29,000 miles in six months creating work in 40 different states. These innovative works of art have been featured on the Brooks Museum of Art in Memphis, Tennessee, The Revolving Museum in Boston, Massachusetts, The CBGB Gallery in New York City, and the Cattle Depot Artist Village Residency in Hong Kong, China. The Tape Art Crew expanded their work to schools, festivals, and office buildings, teaching children and adults that creativity and imagination are not bound by age. What started out as a localized community-drawing project soon grew into a worldwide phenomenon that started a conversation about art, technology, social responsibility, and the value of teamwork.

Mark your calendar and attend these great events throughout the month of October.

You can find more information on the Citadelle’s website: CLICK HERE TO VISIT 

The Citadelle Art Foundation is a supporting organization of the Amarillo Area Foundation.