A vibrant blast of geometric shapes took over the intersection of McKinney and Main streets in Downtown Houston, crawling on top of buildings, light fixtures and sidewalks. Color Jam Houston by Chicago-based artist Jessica Stockholder, represents the social and political balance between individual rights, freedoms, responsibilities and our collective well-being and coexistence. This weaving together of various color fields and shapes into a single whole is resonant with the reality of different owners, jurisdictions and codes that govern this section of public space consisting of a crosswalk, roadway, sidewalk, storefronts and Metro platform.
Stockholder is considered a pioneer of contemporary art for her creation of multimedia genre-bending installations that often extend beyond installation boundaries.
Color Jam was part of Art Blocks, a temporary public art initiative created and managed by the Houston Downtown Management District. From lessons learned about public art’s capacity to awaken change in areas that have not yet realized their full potential, Art Blocks strives to enliven underutilized areas of Downtown Houston.
Artist: Jessica Stockholder (Instagram/Website)
Location: Downtown Houston
Date: 2016
Type: Site-specific Temporary Artwork Commission
Role: Project Manager at Weingarten Art Group
Photos by Joel Luks/CKP Group, courtesy of Houston Downtown Management District