Peckham Inc., in collaboration with Michigan State University’s Residential College in the Arts and Humanities and the College of Engineering Cornerstone and Residential Experience program, has created Project Re-stART, a community-created, public art installation to be unveiled at 4 p.m. Oct. 28 at the former General Motors factory lot at 3100 W. Saginaw Highway.
The Project Re-stART installation is three years in the making and has been designed and built by Peckham youth program participants, RCAH, College of Engineering CoRe student interns and elementary school children.
All the Peckham youth involved with Project Re-stART have juvenile records and wanted to find a way to support the Greater Lansing community, despite their past offenses. While the youth involved have changed with each new school year and program, more than 100 adjudicated individuals participated in the art-making process.
The installation stretches to more than 200 feet in length and has a foundation of 12 mosaicked concrete barricades. Butterfly collages created by students at Riddle Elementary School are suspended from the repurposed barricades, and the structure will support the rotation of new artwork from local children throughout the installation’s life.
“Throughout the years of this partnership, the vision and art mediums morphed from mural paintings to graffiti art to what we have today,” said Sarah Britton, youth programs coordinator at Peckham Inc. “The project boldly displays symbols and messages of hope and resilience and reminds us that no matter what adversities or roadblocks cross our path, we choose to use those moments as learning opportunities and to make something beautiful out of the process - that is what Project Re-stART is all about.”
The Project Re-stART event will begin with a brief program and will be followed by the official unveiling of the installation. This event is located outdoors and is free and open to the public.
Project Re-stART’s sponsors include Ford Motor Co. Fund, MSU College of Engineering CoRe Experience, MSU Federal Credit Union, MSU RCAH, Peckham Inc., RACER Trust and Windemere Park Charter Academy.
Supporters include the 30th Judicial Circuit Court – Family Division, Capitol Barricading Inc., City of Lansing, Delphi Glass, Downtown Neighborhood Association, Lansing Public Schools: Riddle Elementary School, Lansing Township, Northwest Initiative, T&D Supply, Traction, Westside Commercial Association and Westside Neighborhood Association.