The Open Space Baltimore is a great example of a supplement to the open city. The artist run Gallery/Performance-space/Venue is located in the small pocket of Baltimore called Remington, just east of Charles Village and south of Hampden.
The ideology behind Open Space is one, which is modeled similarly to the design approach, and development of Open source software. Open source simply means as it sounds, it is a term used to describe a design approach for creating new software, which grants feasible accessibility to the programs ‘source code’. This method or approach of multiple parties editing, opens up the critical factor of an interactive community. More diversity leads to grander ideas, and broader participation. The Open Space still in its early stages has taken this concept of open editing with its 8 or so founders (still growing) and has been organizing events since the summer of 2009.
Located in the small but busy community of Remington Open Space is directly off the Sisson street exit for interstate 83. The space is in an easy and accessible location by car, bus, or bike. An interesting factor to Open Space is in the unique setting. The gallery is located in the first floor of the multiuse building commonly referred to as the Baltimore Body Shop. The building houses mostly small automotive businesses, along with other spaces such as rented band practice rooms, artist studios, residential apartments and the Open Space. The uncommonness of the buildings visitors, along with the gallery location opens up the diversity of guests to the Open Space. Within walking distance from the building are two community gardens, diverse churches, multiple bars, restaurants, gas stations, residential housing, and a slew of other small businesses. The neighborhood of Remington is racially integrated and well watched by the residents often times from the comfort of their front stoop.
The key to Open Space is in its accessibility. The venue is open for anyone willing to propose projects whether it is curatorial work, music events, or panel discussions; Open Space is receptive to proposals of unbounded diversity.
The Open Space Baltimore was formed as a multi disciplinary space, which functions as a key factor in enriching the neighborhood of Remington. The Open Space offers to the community mostly free events, which are always open indiscriminately to the public. These events thus far have included but are not contained to: a variety of music shows, gallery events, movie screenings, community events and general gatherings.
If you would like to get involved email: openspace@gmail.com
Keep up the good work, Andrew. I've watched how rapidly the architecture (and community) of the body shop has transformed in the past few months, and can honestly say it's one of the more inspiring and ambitious "space" projects I've seen (besides the moon). In a kind of inside-out version of market fundamentalist ideology (in the absence of state services, private industry will fill the gaps), you have opened the city yourselves instead of waiting for it to happen on its own--and all for, I'm sure, little or nothing in (financial) return. I wonder how the project will evolve.
ReplyDeleteOne more thing--I've noticed the significant work being done right around the corner from there to restore the Jones Falls waterway... could be another intersection, this one ecological, to consider for that location.