I remember heading out one rainy Saturday, years ago, to look at Wing Young Huie's Frogtown installation. His moving black-and-white photographs of the neighborhood just a few miles from my house were carefully covered in plastic, pinned up on temporary walls on the street corner. This was taking public art to a brave new level.
Five years later came another outdoor installation: Lake Street USA. And then, last year, the University Avenue Project, which ran for six miles--six miles of more than 400 photographs, pinned up in windows and on walls. Two books came out of the project, as well, both published by the Minnesota Historical Society Press. The photos are intimate, revealing, and very, very local.
Wing Young Huie will be at Boneshaker Books next week to talk about the making of the University Avenue Project. Stop by at 7 p.m. Nov. 3 (Thursday) at the bookstore, 2002 23rd Ave. S. in Minneapolis. Free and interesting--and bring your Literary Punch Card along for a punch (for attending) or two (for buying).
