Graham Projects

My name is Melvin Thomas and I am a Junior Sculpture major. After participating in Introduction to Newer Genres with Graham Coreil-Allen during the Spring 2014 semester, I sought to explore my instructor’s public art practice. I found the possibility of assisting Graham in the realization of his public works intriguing since it was completely uncharted territory for me as an artist. Introduction to Newer Genres introduced me to a wide range of approaches to executing concepts employing video, performance, interactivity, and digital media. I saw working for Graham Projects as another opportunity to expand my range as an artist. Craving more, I decided to send my resume to Graham Projects after being informed by the artist himself that he was looking for an assistant.

Graham Projects is lead by the artist, Graham Coreil-Allen, as an independent public works entity. In recent years, Graham Coreil-Allen has taken participants on walking tours around various public sites in Baltimore City to capture the urban sublime. Architectural history, man-made paths and obstructions, as well as public site history are some of the many subjects the artist covers during his tours. Sites we overlook on a daily basis are highlighted and given terminology to activate these spaces.

Working as an assistant with Graham Projects has allowed me to refine and improve my understanding of architecture, video production, and group organization. Throughout my internship, I have managed crowds at Baltimore’s Artscape festival, documented public sites using video, and participated in the process of planning a public works. Even as a Baltimore native, I explored territory I have never seen. These experiences combined have opened my eyes to eccentric practices that will indeed influence my work as a sculptor