CONTACT:
Lisa Davol, Turners Falls RiverCulture, Phone: 413-230.9910
riverculture@montague-ma.gov www.turnersfallsriverculture.org

Artist Chosen for Public Art Installation on Turners Falls Pathway

Turners Falls RiverCulture has chosen a group of artists/landscape designers led by Sebastian Gutwein of Greenfield, to install his vision, entitled Woven River, along a pedestrian pathway connecting the downtown section of Turners Falls to the upper hill section of the village. The installation is expected to be completed by late summer.

Woven River exposes some of the history of Turners Falls and the constant reincorporation of the past into the present through a series of five installations connected by an undulating woven wall of branches. Stenciled on the sidewalk is a poem further deepening the experience. Each installation points to a hope and a lesson from Turners history useful in creating a vibrant future for Tuners. The history of Turners Falls revolves around the Connecticut river. No river, no town. As the Connecticut runs and is wearing through the rock beneath it, it is in a sense wearing through the past exposing it to the fresh light of today. At the same time, the river is carrying these bits along with it, until it slows down and deposits its load. In the Connecticut river's case, this release was the bottom of lake Hitchcock. That lake became our fertile river valley. People viewing the installation will gather, with their eyes, elements of Turners Falls past and carry it with them to their homes. With this view of present history, they will find the fertile foundations of Turners' future.

An artist, craftsman and ecological designer, Sebastian cultivates a deep fascination with the poetics and politics of space and place. He utilizes his experience with conventional and organic farming, construction and stonework to help generate resilient and beautiful landscapes. Sebastian holds a Bachelors of Science in Environmental Design from the Department of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and is a founding partner of the Regenerative Design Group in Greenfield MA. Gutwein will be working with Keith Zaltzberg, Kim Harwood, and Nathan Beauregard as supporting partners in this project. The poetry incorporated in the project is by Greenfield poet Maria Williams-Russell.

The Woven River installation is a part of the Turners Falls RiverCulture Project. RiverCulture works to strengthen the creative and cultural industries in the Turners Falls area. We believe that experiencing the arts and cultural activities significantly enhances quality of life and is a vital component to a healthy community. By highlighting our heritage and many local assets as we cultivate creative endeavors, we intend to engender a strong sense of place.