We ventured over to HOPE Outdoor Gallery a couple of weekends ago because we arrived two hours early for a play we were going to see at the Long Center. We didn't want to drive all the way back out to the suburbs to bide our time, so we hit up the Barton Springs P. Terry's for lunch then headed over to the gallery. The art is amazing. Naturally, since morons have access to this very public place, although it's a private project, there were some pieces that were racist or may be seen as offensive by some. It's an abandoned construction site, so there is broken glass all around and there are exposed pieces of metal framing jutting up from the half-walls, so be warned. Also, much to my son's liking there is a plethora of rocks to be enjoyed by rock enthusiasts. I've been conditioned by the number of rocks found in my washing machine to check his many cargo pants pockets before washing them. If you visit the gallery and are brave and agile, you might enjoy scaling the very steep hill to get the top for a different view of the gallery and Austin's downtown skyline.
Here are a few of my favorite pics from our trip there:
Doesn't he look like he's skateboarding here? I love this one.
I love the place because it literally never gets old. Artists are always painting over existing works of art with more amazing work, so there's always a reason to go back.
The gallery is part of a socially conscious movement to support global good and to support the arts.
Here's a quote from their website:
"Launched in December of 2006 with the support of contemporary artist Shepard Fairey, HOPE was founded as a way to raise awareness about the crisis in Darfur, Sudan. Initial projects leveraged contributors’ creative talent and national recognition to bring this crisis to the forefront of the media. Since then, thousands of individuals and organizations have joined the movement. Inspired by this positive response, HOPE is growing and actively enrolling new talent and partners. Any contributions support future HOPE projects, allowing artists and musicians the ongoing opportunity to share their talent."
For more information on HOPE Outdoor Gallery Austin and to learn more about the HOPE campaign, like them on Facebook.
If you're in town, you're in luck becasue there is always a place to appreciate art for free in the heart of Austin.
The first photo was taken with an iPhone 4s, the others were taken with a Cannon Rebel T2i.
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