Mom at Ilex Drive

Signed Risograph Edition by Rowan Renee 

Home has been a theme in my work, as both a site of trauma and healing. This family photo, taken circa 1957, shows my mother, grandfather, and great-grandfather during the construction of the house they built and lived in on Ilex Drive in South Florida. 3-color Risograph print on heavyweight paper, 5.5 x 7.5, signed, unnumbered edition.

$35

Green-Wood Glass

Inspired by Rowan’s recent installation The Perimeter Path at Green-Wood Cemetery, these small kiln-fused glass works combine images of headstone repair from Green-Wood’s archives with excerpts from burial records. Each piece is original and varies in dimensions from 2in – 6in.

$75 – $275

Stilt City by Duke Riley

Signed Letterpress Edition by Duke Riley

This print was originally designed by Duke for our kickstarter campaign in 2015, and depicts a collection of bungalows lifted up on stilts above the rising sea. One color letterpress print on cotton rag, 7 1/2 x 9 in, Edition of 35. 

$500

General Support Fund

Support for this project, or my ongoing studio projects, can be made in any amount, no matter how small, with a tax-deductible donation through Fractured Atlas.

How does Stilt City connect to my other art projects?

When I was in my twenties I was a scrappy young artist that found my way into a few artist communities with big, improbable ideas. One of these was the Miss Rockaway Armada collective. In 2006 and 2007, we built a raft out of NYC construction waste to float down the Mississippi River. In the bungalow project I saw the possibility to use similar skills – a DIY ethic, a sense of imagination and purpose, and a lot of patience –  to save a structure, and a local housing type, that was slowly being obliterated by large luxury developments, and to claim a permanent space for artists. Looking back, I can see how this impulse connects to larger themes in my work, where art-making is a world-building practice that resists, transforms and heals.

How will the funds be used?

My fundraising goal of $20,000 will cover upcoming construction expenses. The total construction budget for this project is around $300,000 – less than half of the median home price in NYC. I have paid for the majority of construction expenses out-of-pocket with money from an insurance settlement, which has now been completely exhausted. My family has also contributed what they can from their savings. However, there have been numerous unexpected expenses that exceed my available resources. Because of my income and status as a gig worker, I don’t qualify for traditional home loans. Early in the project, the asbestos remediation cost over $30,000 – 4x what was budgeted. After demolition, we discovered that the foundation, which we planned to reuse, was so deteriorated that it would not support the weight of new framing. We also discovered that the developers who tore down the bungalows next door cut off my water service.

Funds raised will help cover some of these unexpected costs while my family and I raise additional funds. This funding is needed to complete the first phase of construction. The current scope of work includes roofing and siding, reconnecting utilities, getting kitchen and bathroom fixtures connected, fabricating an entry staircase, and hiring a special inspector to complete the paperwork needed to close the permits. At that time, I will be able to apply for a certificate of occupancy, which will make the structure legally inhabitable and insurable.

What are the risks and obstacles?

I have already experienced almost every obstacle one could imagine, or have nightmares about, during a home renovation. What has become clear is that not only am I committed to finding a way through it all, that I am surrounded by a community that thinks that this project matters and wants to see it succeed. First and foremost, the architects, Mark and Stephan, have been literally the bedrock. I am continually in awe of the commitment of time and resources they have put into this little 400 square foot house. This is truly a gift, and one that I want to pay forward when I can finally share this special space with you.

Even with our deep commitment, there are still risks that could delay completion or add costs, including rising material and labor costs due to inflation and passing our DOB inspections. I do believe that the major hurdles have already been crossed and any delays we encounter going forward will be manageable.

Who will Stilt City serve?

Right now, I plan to host a seasonal residency for NYC-based artists and writers – that will be free of cost to the participants. I imagine it as more of a retreat than a production space, where artists can enjoy a quiet space for working inward. In a city that demands so much of us, I think there is a need for spaces that foster the quieter parts of the creative process. In addition to this, I see possibilities for hosting intimate public events or site-specific exhibitions, including screenings, readings, conversations and dinners. I’m interested in working with artists and performers who are making work about critical social justice issues, especially artists and community members in the Rockaways.

I also think it’s important to disclose that since this is a space I own personally, and I have primarily funded it through my savings, that I also intend to use it and may live in at some point in the future. I don’t think this is in conflict with the spirit of sharing with a community of artists — as many artists know, the boundaries between art and life are porous, and this is very true in my own work.