Amazing riff on Monopoly about Speculation in Central Baltimore by a student called Cary at MICA
Artscape was the usual blur of thousands of sweaty strangers moving like a sticky stream of molasses up and down sun-baked streets. People drank giant strawberry daiquiris out of foot-long plastic cups a la Senior Frogs, expensive iced lemonade, or milk from sippy cups, in the case of the babies (babies love Artscape). Oozing rather than easing down the road were fashion-forward teens, “art cars” freaks, adorable independent artists hawking irresistibly cool knick knacks, and fearless mohawked boys biking against all odds through this mess of humanity.
We have posted photos below of the crowd which was eclectic and peace-loving. It was a great weekend for Baltimore.
One neat addition to the festival this year was a kind of trade fair in the garage opposite the Charles Theatre, featuring community projects like a Center for a Livable Future-affiliated food dessert study and a mural project inspired by the history of Baltimore. Also in the garage was a table of artwork exploring current events.
“Baltimore is still a frontier,” said a MICA graduate showing off her contribution to Artscape, a jigsaw puzzle depicting Baltimore, its pieces composed of neighborhoods and parks. She described what it was like to spend four years in a city changing rapidly. The “Central Baltimore Game of Speculation”, created by another MICA grad named Cary, was inspired by the wildly fluxuating rent and real estate climate around Baltimore, specifically near MICA.
“We were told to never set foot on North Avenue when I arrived as a freshman even at midday” she said behind thick black-rimmed glasses. “This year at orientation, they told them that’s where they should go at night to hang out.” The speculators have pounced on local real estate, raising rents, but buildings still loom abandoned and gutted along the Avenue.
Parasols were essential companions to ward off the torrid summer sun
Participatory art: Baltimore, described as "smelly" "homicide" "inertia" and "real"
Smoothies blended with people power
DIY cartoon wall by Penn Station (a table was set up for aspiring graphic artists)
This is much cooler than those plastic upside down tomato pots from 7-11
Babies sported cool hats
Pellinore Press cards
Cooling in the rain tent by Wale
Marissa Molinaro glassware
Dancing at Charles and Mt. Royal (beatboxing in background)
Art cars invade Charles Street once again
Listening to Wale shaded by sculpture above Mount Royal Station
Dance off at Charles Street and Mount Royal
Straw hats, striped hair
[...] is the drippiest of love-fests in Baltimore. There was Artscape, of course, then came a sweatstorm of art-rock at Whartscape, the monthly baby and dog parade at [...]