Here's another museum-like space to add to my favorites: ARTISANworks in Rochester NY. In my books, it's on par with other extraordinary spaces I've seen over the years, including the City Museum in St. Louis and the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore. It is simply a flabbergasting visual environment that reaches beyond traditional display and pulls you into a social, physical exploration of a unique space.
You walk in and are inundated with layer upon layer of art housed in an array of unique rooms in an old artillery factory covering a city block. Look left, right, up, around, and there are intriguing objects and works for you to visually engage with. And it is designed to be a social space, earning much of its income from functions in rooms designed to add a pleasantly mind-bending twist to events. (The rooms include a firehouse with fire engine and pool tables, and a new rooftop garden which will eventually be year round).
Described as an "art incubator," ARTISANworks supports a wide community of artists whose works fill the space, including a dozen artists in residence. It is a delight to explore.
ARTISANworks is truly one of the treasures of the art world. It is the brainchild of Louis Perticone who has been compared to the Medici Family for his art patronage. As Brad shares, amazing works of art surround you, virtually jumping off the floors, walls and ceilings, shouting to be seen.
For more on ARTISANworks, read "ARTISANworks, an Art Lover's Treasure Hunt" at: http://tinyurl.com/mt7lkr
Posted by: Carol White Llewellyn, Finger Lakes Travel Maven | July 03, 2009 at 09:57 AM