Cleveland Print Room and the Crooked River

Scioto River, by Shari Wilkins

We are busier than ever this summer at the Cleveland Print Room, with an array of projects focused on our region’s complex relationship with the Cuyahoga River.

We are excited to be facilitating four projects for the Waterways to Waterways Creative Fusion initiative this June. A Sacred Water Walk led by Ojibwe elder Sharon Day, from June 17 to 20, will begin at the headwaters of the Cuyahoga in Geauga county, and will end in a process in which Day leads a group carrying sacred river water to the mouth of the Cuyahoga, where it empties into Lake Erie. Watch for community meetings around town if you are interested in participating in this walk, or call 216.802.9441 for information.

With his Crooked River exhibition, our Creative Fusion international artist-in-residence photographer and photojournalist, Michael Tsegaye from Ethiopia, will transform the Cleveland Print Room gallery into the Cuyahoga River via aerial photography and photos from the riverbed.

Native Clevelander Sophie Schwartz’s Bridged project will use the notion of a bridge to lead her exploration of the Cuyahoga River. As she juxtaposes her photographic survey of existing structures and those who use them with archival images of bridges on the river, she melds and recontextualizes the past and present to inform a larger historical perspective.

With the River Water Soup project, CPR’s Teen Institute arts mastery students will capture traces of the overlooked and unseen along the Cuyahoga River. Using the alternative photographic cyanotype process, the students will create organic and conceptual works. Making cyanotypes with Cuyahoga River water removes the usual element of sterility in the typical photographic process, further adding to the mystery of the final outcome. Students will commit the resulting images associated with the project to a book.

 

MICHAEL TSEGAYE: CROOKED RIVER | JUNE 21–AUGUST 10
Reception 5–8PM Friday, June 21

SOPHIE SCHWARTZ: BRIDGED | TBA

SHARON DAY: SACRED RIVER WALK | MONDAY, JUNE 17–THURSDAY, JUNE 20

Cleveland Print Room

ArtCraft Building

2550 Superior Avenue

Cleveland, OH 44114

216.802.9441