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October 2014 – April 2016

CINCINNATI – Oct. 30 2014 – The Cincinnati Art Museum and ArtWorks are pleased to unveil a new collaborative project featuring local artist Anthony Luensman. C A M P G R O U N D, on view now through April 2016, is a large-scale, animated neon installation on the west wall of the French Wing at the Cincinnati Art Museum that will be on display for 18 months. Following C A M P G R O U N D, the west facing wall of the Art Museum will continue to feature a rotating program of temporary works organized by CAM and ArtWorks.

An ArtWorks dedication for C A M P G R O U N D will take place at the Cincinnati Art Museum from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 6. A brief series of speeches to honor this dedication will begin at 6pm with Tamara Harkavy, CEO and Artist Director of ArtWorks, Cameron Kitchin, the Louis and Louise Dieterle Nippert Director of the Cincinnati Art Museum, and Tim Maloney, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr. /U.S. Bank Foundation.

The dedication is free and will take place outdoors at the installation. Live music will be provided by Billy Alletzhauser (of “The Hiders”) and Ali Edwards, as well as complimentary food and beverages. No reservations or tickets are required. For more information about the dedication, please visit ArtWorks’ Facebook event page here: http://bit.ly/CAMPGROUND

This new installation completes a goal that Emily Holtrop, Director of Learning and Interpretation for the Cincinnati Art Museum, and Tamara Harkavy, CEO and Artist Director of ArtWorks, have had for several years. “We have enjoyed a long partnership with ArtWorks for nearly 10 years,” Holtrop said. “Tamara and I have looked at that wall for years and we’ve been waiting a long time to fill this blank space with an intriguing art installation. Tony Luensman’s work is a perfect fit.”

C A M P G R O U N D is the first in a series of three installations which will take place as a result of the Cincinnati Art Museum and ArtWorks partnership. “The Luensman installation is one of the most important works we have ever commissioned. Artistically it is exceptional, engaging viewers from a range of vantage points all over the city,” Harkavy said. “This series is designed to engage, inspire and challenge viewers as it benefits our youth Apprentices, who work directly with the artists in the development of each installation. It is an unprecedented opportunity to bring art to the public on a grand scale, and we are grateful to Macy’s for their lead support of this project, the Cincinnati Art Museum, its Board, and the Haile Foundation for helping to bring this series to fruition.”

C A M P G R O U N D is sponsored by Macy’s, The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr. /U.S. Bank Foundation, The LaBoiteaux Foundation. ArtWorks Apprentice Team Adopted by Judy Bausher and Herb Gilliam.

Installation Overview:

C A M P G R O U N D evokes a billboard one may still discover along a country highway. It advertises

with the familiar vacation icons of tire swings and sparking campfires. The animated sign promises outdoor escape and primitive comfort against the massive holdings and complexities of civilization. The promise, however, hints at its own future of being unfulfilled as neon displaces “nature” and its white lines outline an artificial landscape.

Early this summer, Luensman conducted a multi-faceted workshop with eight ArtWorks apprentices to explore the production of C A M P G R O U N D. They learned how neon lights are made, the basics of electronics and programming, and how to engage the community with public art. The apprentices created their own neon designs, screen prints, and electronic sculptures.

In Depth Program, 2 p.m. – 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 8: Learn more during a free gallery talk with artist Anthony Luensman as he discusses his inspiration, development, and installation of C A M P G R O U N D at the Art Museum. Reservations required. For more information, please call 513-721-ARTS or visit www.cincinnatiartmuseum.org.

About the Artist

Anthony Luensman, born in 1966 in Cincinnati, Ohio, received a bachelor’s degree in Studio Arts from Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio (1988). Over the course of his career, he has been granted numerous awards including the Efroymson Contemporary Arts Fellowship, Ohio Arts Council Fellowships, and Individual Artist Grants from the City of Cincinnati. He has had residencies and exhibitions in cities across the US and in Japan and Taiwan. He works across disciplines and often incorporates elements of light, sound, video, and sculpture.Luensman has received funding from the National Endowment for the Arts for two of his solo exhibitions. His work can be seen in the collections of The Cincinnati Art Museum and the International Contemporary Art Foundation/21c Museum based in Louisville, Kentucky.

ArtWorks Apprentices

The ArtWorks Apprentice Team, managed by Emily Sites and adopted by Judy Bausher and Herb Gilliam, assisted Luensman with this project and included the following individuals:

Princess Dyer

Max Freyberger

Jalyn Hill

Matthew Miklavcic

Brian Pulliam

Violet Schramm

Hannah Sypniewski

Jessica Whayne

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About ArtWorks

Founded in 1996, ArtWorks trains and employs local youth and talent to create art and community impact. ArtWorks’ vision is to be the creative and economic engine which unites citizens to transform our region through public art, such as their award-winning mural program, art therapy, and creative enterprise initiatives. To date, ArtWorks has hired over 2,500 area youth and 700 professional artists, and has trained over 200 creative entrepreneurs. ArtWorks is grateful for the support of many individuals and organizations, including the City of Cincinnati, the Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation, the generosity of community contributions to the ArtsWave Campaign, and the Ohio Arts Council. To learn more or to support ArtWorks, visit ArtWorksCincinnati.org.

About the Cincinnati Art Museum

The Cincinnati Art Museum is supported by the generosity of individuals and businesses that give annually to the Arts Wave. The Ohio Arts Council helps fund the Cincinnati Art Museum with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. The Cincinnati Art Museum gratefully acknowledges operating support from the City of Cincinnati, as well as our members.

General admission to the Cincinnati Art Museum is always free. The museum is open Tuesday – Sunday, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. and is closed Monday.