Popular interactive art exhibition returns
VISTA, CA – A popular pop-up art show that draws hundreds of people to vacant buildings transformed into creative works of art will return to Vista this summer.
Kings & Queens, a collaborative group art exhibition, will take place from 6 to 10 p.m. July 23 in the vacated Kings & Queens Hair Salon, 365 E. Broadway, Vista. The event is open to the community; a $5 donation is suggested at the door. The show’s theme is self-love, rule your own world.
The Backfence Society is producing Kings & Queens under the umbrella of the Vista Art Foundation, in collaboration with Randall Art Ranch. The show is a fundraiser for the foundation’s Alley Art Festival, which takes place Sept. 3 in downtown Vista.
Kings & Queens will feature all kinds of mixed media, including photography, sculptures, paintings and installation art. The interactive event will include the works of dozens of artists, raffle prizes, dj’s spinning music, a puppet show hosted by Twisted Heart Puppetworks, gourmet offerings from the MotoDeli food truck and a wine and beer bar that also will benefit the Alley Art Festival.
“Collaboration with other artists to transform these old, unloved buildings is always an adventure. It is exciting to not know where the project will take us. We let the process of being active in creativity lead the way,” said Sarah Spinks, a local tattoo artist and co-founder of The Backfence Society.
Spinks, a Vista Public Arts Commissioner and member of the Vista Art Foundation, has worked closely with the city to enhance its art scene.
This is the third time something like this is being done in cooperation with the city of Vista, its Community Development Commission and the Vista Art Foundation. Once again, the city is providing the vacant building the show will take place in.
The city provided the space for Summer Nocturne in 2014 and Get Weird in 2015. Both shows featured more than 30 artists, raised money to support arts in the community and drew hundreds of people to the downtown area.
This is the first time the city will allow The Backfence Society and Vista Art Foundation to utilize the vacant space for creative art workshops leading up to the Alley Art Festival.
John Meyer, Redevelopment and Housing Director for the city of Vista, said the city has provided the vacant buildings the last couple of years because it has a great relationship with the Vista Art Foundation and The Backfence Society.
“We are always looking at ways to support the arts,” Meyer said. “These are great events that put a spotlight on the arts and on downtown Vista.”
He pointed out that people will see the redevelopment that has taken place along the city’s Paseo Santa Fe corridor.
“These venues, although they are temporary, the still generate excitement about downtown and what we have accomplished,” Meyer added.
Maureen Barrack, vice chair of the Vista Public Arts Commission and president of the Vista Art Foundation, said these pop-up art shows are a popular form of expression among the community’s emerging artists.
“The Vista Art Foundation really wants to foster artists in giving them a voice and platform to express themselves creatively,” she said.
The Backfence Society is a collaboration of local artists who produce interactive group art exhibitions to capture people’s imaginations and build their awareness of the various facets of art in the community. These events also give artists a platform to showcase their work. The group was established in 2011 and has since produced several successful art exhibitions.
For more information, visit www.backfencesociety.com
About The Backfence Society … The concept of The Backfence Society started with the idea of neighbors talking over their fences and putting something unexpected together that is bigger then the sum of its parts. The Backfence Society is a collaboration of local artists who produce interactive group art exhibitions to capture people’s imaginations and build their awareness of the various facets of art in the community. These exhibitions also give artists a platform to showcase their work and have raised thousands of dollars to support arts in the community.
The Backfence Society was established in 2011 and has since produced seven successful art exhibitions. The first, Nocturne, took place in November of 2011 at the old Gallery 204 in Vista. The show featured a 40-foot cardboard owl installation, murals, and whimsical window displays with interactive photo booths. It was comprised of more than 30 artists and had 250 attendees. The second, Stellar, took place in June of 2012 at Mother Earth Brew Co. in Vista. The exhibition featured 25 artists and had about 250 attendees. The third, On Rotation, took place in November of 2012 at Home boutique in Encinitas. It included 15 artists. The fourth, Summer Nocturne, took place in June of 2014 in Vista. It featured more than 30 artists and had 500 attendees. The fifth, Get Weird, took place in June of 2015 in Vista. It featured 40 artists and attracted about 1,000 attendees. Show six was a Halloween House made of trash collected from around town. The seventh, a one-night, 5×7 pop-up show in downtown Vista, featured dozens of artists. It also attracted hundreds of attendees and raised money for the upcoming Alley Art Festival.
For more information, visit www.backfencesociety.com.
