Northern Spark 2015 Partner Projects Spotlight: Mill City Museum

Via a May 14 e-newsletter from Northern Spark/NorthernLights.mn:

One of our most active areas for NORTHERN SPARK 2015 will be along the Mississippi River (West River Parkway: between Portland Ave. and Chicago Ave.)

This year, the Mill City Museum area (sponsored by Nordstrom) will be a hub of activity outside in the courtyard, the train shed, and throughout the building from dusk on June 13th until dawn on the 14th! Expect music, films, projections, and opportunities to engage with artists, the city, and fellow explorers. Our partners in this area include Mizna, Arts Institutes International Minnesota, Minn_Lab in collaboration with the U of M's School of Architecture, the Northern Clay Center, the Hennepin County Library, Greater MSP, St. Cloud State, and Northern Voices. 

One way (of many!) to begin your evening is by following and creating the music! Just as the sun sets, hear world-class opera singers give their contemporary take on popular arias in Mill City Ruins Courtyard (3 timed performances, starting at 9:05 pm, more here). Inside the lobby of the Mill City Museum John Keston and the talented Art Institutes International Minnesota students will preform audience created compositions on the spot. And throughout the night you'll encounter the Northern Voice Festival singers, Kathy McTavish's mill city requiem, as well as the live score for Miko Simmons's mesmerizing In Ruins: A History of the Future's Past.

This year we're partnering with the Hennepin County Library on real life choose-your-own-adventure interactive project called Night Library. Guardians of intellectual freedom, find your way through a labyrinthian maze as you embark on a quest to battle the censors. You'll be given a flashlight and a book (of course!) to guide you. Chose your path wisely or books will burn! Readers of all ages, join us. (project hashtag: #nspk33)

We're also pleased to partner with Mizna (an organization devoted to promoting Arab-American arts and culture) and the acclaimed Twin-Cities based Syrian artist Osama Esid to premiere a portrait series titled Still/ Life/ Syria. As you walk among the Mill City Ruins, you'll see large projected portraits of Syrian refugees interacting with people in an unusual studio environment---hand-painted backdrops, a handmade camera, artifacts that they chose to include. Our partners hope to create a moment of stillness an reflection as audiences consider the richly colored, nuanced lives of refugees and their futures. (project hashtag: #nspk34)

Let us know what projects you're looking forward to on Facebook & Twitter! @Northern_Spark & at @MillCityMuseum #nspk

Additional details about all Northern Spark Partner Projects online here.