"Visitors" art installation at Pillsbury

For the last month, graffiti artists have been transforming an entire floor of the emptied C-Mill building into a 15,000-square-foot art installation and exhibit titled “Visitors."

The project, facilitated and sponsored by Moving Pillsbury Forward, focuses on the work of Minneapolis artists Shock and Static, who were encountered exploring the site at night in September. Moving Pillsbury Forward staff were familiar with their work (made during previous visits), and instead of ushering the artists off the property, they were invited to return to create new work under more ideal conditions. The result is a massive site-specific work, expressed in spray paint and found objects and exploring themes pertinent to the rise and fall of the Pillsbury factory and surrounding community during the 20th century. The installation also includes the work of other graffiti artists and local sculptors.

The project is not only a first for Springfield, but a unique one in the Midwest, representing rare cooperation between landowners, brownfield clean-up objectives, and “street artists." Curator Robert Mazrim has for the last six months focused on the “aesthetic salvage and recycling” of the artistic potential of the ruined factory, before its scheduled demolition in the coming 18 months.

Access to the installation will be limited. For the Nov.9 event, visitors will be invited to explore the space, illuminated by improvised lighting, between 5:30-8 p.m.. The building has no heat; visitors should dress accordingly. Sturdy shoes or boots are recommended. Admission is free.