February 4, 2009
Area creativity to be featured in 'Tippecanus Rex'
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - |
"Tippecanus Rex" (Tipp-eh-can-us Rex) will highlight the invented history of the Tippecanoe County region through visual, performing, musical and literary art. It will be presented from April 1 through May 10 at the Tippecanoe Arts Federation, which is in the Wells Community Cultural Center at 638 North St., Lafayette.
The project is open to residents of the 14 counties served by the Tippecanoe Arts Federation: Benton, Carroll, Cass, Clinton, Fountain, Howard, Jasper, Newton, Montgomery, Pulaski, Tippecanoe, Tipton, Warren and White. Subject matter should be appropriate for a public, multi-use venue. All submissions must be original in content and/or presentation.
An entry fee of $5 per person will be charged for those over 18 years of age. There will be no entry fee for entrants 18 years old and under.
"'Tippecanus Rex' is about creativity and imagination from people of all ages in this area," said Purdue Galleries director Craig Martin. "It's a chance to know and celebrate - and maybe make up - the history of what we are and to exaggerate and build the big myths of Tippecanoe County.
"The project is meant to be whimsical and imaginative, teasing visitors with mythical beasts, imagined histories and fake statistics. It will also emphasize the contributions and new creative works of artists, writers and performers in this area."
A callout, collaboration and brainstorming meeting - a "T-Rex Hunting Party" - will be held at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday (Feb. 11) at K. Dees Coffee and Roasting Co., 1016 Main St., Lafayette.
During the meeting, the original short play "Lafadoon" will be presented at 6:30 p.m. by volunteers of the Civic Theatre of Greater Lafayette. Meant as a Tippecanus Rex teaser, the play is a fast-moving farce on imagination and creativity, with a look back at a local ghost story, the tale of "White Wolf."
The "Hunting Party" will provide interested participants the chance to discuss ideas. Martin said some attendees may need catalysts to get their imaginations going, while some need artwork to go with their ideas and some need documentation of planned performances. Attendees should bring their ideas, incomplete notions, expertise and imagination to share with others and to help the project grow.
Story contest entries will be accepted at Tippecanoe Arts Federation beginning on March 3 and must be received by 5 p.m. March 13. Visual art/performance entries, non-competition literary entries and multi-artist/collaborative entries will be accepted at Tippecanoe Arts Federation beginning March 13 and must be received by 5 p.m. March 25.
The "Tippecanus Rex" exhibition opens to the public at Tippecanoe Arts Federation on April 1. An opening reception will be held from 6-8 p.m. April 3.
On April 17, a "Night of the Tippecanus Rex" will be held at Civic Theatre of Greater Lafayette, in the Historic Monon Depot, 313 N. Fifth St. It will feature literary readings and performances created for the project.
In conjunction with "Tippecanus Rex," Purdue Galleries will present "Urban Legends and Rural Myths," a national exhibition of artists whose work explores contemporary mythology. That exhibit will run from March 9 through April 26 in the Stewart Center Gallery. The two exhibits are a joint project, supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.
The entry form for "Tippecanus Rex" can be downloaded at https://www.tippecanusrex.com, https://www.purdue.edu/galleries/ or https://www.tippecanoearts.org
For information, contact Purdue Galleries director Craig Martin at (765) 494-3061 or cdmartin@purdue.edu, or the Tippecanoe Arts Federation at (765) 423-2787 or taf@tippecanoearts.org.
Writer: Christy Jones, (765) 494-1089, christyjones@purdue.edu
Source: Craig Martin, (765) 494-3061, cdmartin@purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
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