Foundry Tree (foundrytree.com) is an amazing project that combines the world of iron casting and foundry arts. It connects artists through a map of institutions, events, and countries represented in the foundry world. Ben is on the Foundry Tree under the University of Minnesota subsection, taught by artist and professor Tamsie Ringler. The Foundry Tree is mobile and captures many iron pour events.
Work collaborated on at In the Heart of the Beast Puppet & Mask Theatre for the 2017 May Day parade, festival, and ceremony. Artists and community alike come together every year to make giant puppets and sculptures in celebration of the coming warmth and as a political representation of the diversity in South Minneapolis. Work was primarily sculptural with paper mache and cardboard. Painting and markers and the addition of the community and their ideas make the possibilities endless. May Day occurs every year on the first Sunday of May.
South Minneapolis, 2017
Sounds of the 8th & 9th Wards is a community geared, musical zine. Strangers from the 8th and 9th wards of Minneapolis answered their musical preferences and upbringings. Quotes were taken and songs were compiled into a playlist to represent to energy of South Minneapolis through music. The playlist is available on Youtube, Soundcloud and Spotify. 40 zines were distributed throughout Little Free Libraries in South Minneapolis to continue sharing music.
South Minneapolis, 2017
The Dinkytown Arts Movement was a collaborative, community driven effort to spark more conversation about Art's role in community strengthening. Dinkytown, a college neighborhood of the University of Minnesota, has been slowly transforming into a "cookie-cutter" apartment and fast food chain neighborhood. The goal of Dinkytown Arts Movement is to engage the community to see what art and creativity can bring to them and their home, and to restore Dinkytown to an arts-driven hub for Minneapolis and the greater Twin Cities area.
Dinkytown, Minneapolis, 2016
