Opening: Saturday, May 29 2010, 2:00 – 4:00 PM
Project on View: May 29 - August 1, 2010
Location: Adjacent to McKinley Square Park on Potrero Hill, located at the abandoned turn around on Vermont off of 20th Street

Lead Teaching Artist: Daniela Steinsapir
Urban Planner: Berta Lazaro Corcuera
SoEx Artists In Education Program Manager: Tara Foley
Urban Art Laboratory Students: Sielo Nau, Sio Maafu, Isaac Faalogoifo, Miguel Dela'o, Kat Liu, Daisy Ortega Kenia Jimervez, Jessica Rodriguez, Josselin Gomez, Kevin Munguia, Mickey Delao, Noelia Nino, Ismael Ornelas and Yesenia Vallejo.

Southern Exposure, in partnership with Downtown High School, presents Vita Corpus, a public art project created by Downtown High students who participated in SoEx's yearlong Urban Art Laboratory program. Vita Corpus is the result of discussions, field trips, research, planning and art making, led by SoEx teaching artists with the goal of creating an artistic enhancement of an otherwise abandoned section of Vermont Street in Potrero Hill. Students focused on the theme of community, symbolic in the organic bubble formations, representing blood platelets and the interconnected veins connected by larger structures, representing connective tissue. The installation contains visible fragments and glimpses into the student’s lives, bringing themselves and their communities into the sculpture. Vita Corpus enhances the landscape of this public space, accenting its curves and the natural environment using LED lights, which can be viewed in the evening.

Join us for an afternoon of celebrating the completion and unveiling of the project with student performances and a potluck lunch!

This program would not have happened without the help and support of The Department of Public Works (DPW), especially Muhammed Nuru, Sandra Zuniga and Richard Bridygham; McKinley Square Community Association, especially Cris Rys; Vermont Street Neighbors, especially Jennifer King and Henry Wimmer; all the neighbors and community members of McKinley Square; Dan Grayber; and Ric Lopez of MODERNPAST (www.modernpast.com); Kelsey Nicholson; Jo Slota and Andy Vogt.