Tipping Point: Twelve Years of Latitude Artist
Community in Lexington
At University of Kentucky (UK HealthCare)Curated by Phillip Jones
The Latitude Artist
Community’s unwavering dedication to this community and the people it serves is
best expressed in the words of Bruce Burris, one of the organization’s
founders, “The lives for many of us with disabilities are unreasonably
difficult, and there are few occasions to function as a fully realized human –
with a creative life, a sexual life, a life of possibility,” he says. “The
arts help in this capacity,
allowing us to – at the very least – share intimate potential without negative
consequences and with the possibility that sharing can lead to change.”
The Latitude Artist Community
is a radically unique organization with the fundamental belief that the
defining mark of a human being, that phenomenon which provides both purpose and
pleasure, is our inherent human need to contribute to our community in a
meaningful fashion. They believe that all people have this aspiration and thus create
vigorous and innovative supports from which those of us who have traditionally
been denied this civic opportunity and responsibility are enabled to contribute
to the community through their own inspired efforts. As a community versus
medical program, Latitude emphasizes two essential platforms: a facilitated
studio space and social advocacy projects. Each of these activities creates and
supports vigorous and innovative community outcomes.
The Latitude Artist Community
is now at a tipping point. For the past twelve years, under the guidance of
Bruce Burris and Crystal Bader, Latitude has provided opportunities and supports that encourage people
to create, explore and develop their interests and abilities as art makers. Inherent
to their mission is the insistence that Latitude Artist Community serves all people. The program does, however,
place emphasis on those thought by some to have a disability and aims to create
meaningful, inclusive community interactions which allow its participating
artists to contribute culturally and politically to the life of their
community. In October of
2012, the organization announced the sale of the business to a third party, as
both Crystal and Bruce enter new phases of their lives and careers. This
exhibition is not intended to memorialize the work previously done but rather
to glance back toward some of the artists, programs, and initiatives that have
defined Latitude over the past twelve years, acknowledging the program’s
accomplishments and looking forward to whatever the future may hold.
Over the past
twelve years, the Latitude Artist Community has occupied several buildings but
they have all been non-descript and rectangular, surrounded or adjacent to a
parking lot. The buildings’ interiors are sparse and furnished only with
paint-splattered folding
tables and chairs. The immediate community fluctuates but generally hovers
around 30 members and a staff of three or four people. It is open from 9-4 PM,
Monday through Friday.
The Latitude Artist Community
is known primarily as a studio arts program and its artists have been
internationally
recognized with exhibitions in New York, Paris, London, Russia, and beyond.
Many have also been featured in national print and text media where they are
presented as cultural contributors. This exhibition features artworks by eight
artists, past and present, from the Latitude Artist Community: Ralph Reynolds,
Kenny Taylor, Paul McGurl, Beverly Baker, Norma Barnes, Tony Dunn, Albert
Moser, and Mary Fields.
While this exhibition focuses
on the visual work of six artists, it also acknowledges Latitude’s programming beyond
the studio which is designed to engage the daily lives of its participants.
Latitude’s immediate community is continuously built and maintains an open-door
policy, and its members are encouraged to thrive in the distracted society that
generally overlooks or mistreats them. Under the leadership of Bruce Burris and
Crystal Bader, Latitude has grown into a full-time studio arts program and
full-time advocacy group. The unintended consequence of Latitude’s commitment
to its members, and our larger community, is that the rest of us are made aware
of our own limitations, but more importantly of our own strengths.
Latitude has consistently
found creative ways to address injustice and hardship, responding with rallies,
sculptural installations, workshops, and even gardens. They have taken their
programs into the streets of Lexington presenting works and projects in
government buildings, public libraries, and on busy street corners. The members
of Latitude’s community are considered to have a disability by
society-at-large, but that does not prevent them from being engaged citizens or
inspiring artists. Indeed, they are expected to be both.
Bulletin Board
This bulletin
board highlights some of Latitude’s programs and accomplishments in a format
generally reserved for universities, dorm hallways, churches, and community centers.
Over the past few years Bruce Burris,
co-founder of Latitude, has maintained several bulletin boards at Latitude
filled with press clippings, awards, artworks, and other documents that reflect
the various accomplishments or general organizational on-goings. Please take a
moment to look (but not touch) the various documents on the board and learn
more about Latitude’s rich history of programming and accomplishment.
Some things to look for:
One of
Latitude’s most significant advocacy accomplishments was the creation of Project
Easy Access Lexington, an advocacy organization which focuses its efforts on
accessibility education forums, rallies and related events including the annual
“Citizen Advocate of the Year Award”. Most significantly (PEAL) initiated the
formation of Lexington Fayette Urban County Government’s Mayor’s Commission for
Citizens with Disabilities.
PEAL was
created by former Latitude artist Belinda Sellers to bring attention to the
inconsistencies and general disregard for the lack of access to the public
infrastructure of downtown Lexington. In this capacity PEAL has organized
public rallies, sponsored awareness events, given awards and recognition, taken
nearly 1000 people on our “In Accessibility” Tours and most importantly created
The Mayor’s Commission for Citizen’s with
Disabilities.
Latitude Artist Community has
also organized various programs, exhibitions and events with numerous local
partners like Third St. Stuff Coffee, Institute 193, the University of
Kentucky, Transylvania University, ELandF Projects and a long list of
individual artists, musicians and writers. Latitude has received numerous
awards and accolades but most significantly, perhaps, was its receipt of the
2012 Kentucky Arts Council Governor's Awards in the Arts.
