LOVETOWN, PA is artist Gene Schmidt's urban pilgrimage through the streets of Philadelphia, a physical text message for the City of Brotherly Love.
"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."
What would St. Paul's beautiful, and sometimes difficult text on love look like on the streets of Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love? LOVETOWN PA is my attempt at an answer.
About two years ago I measured the width and length of Manhattan by laying nearly 30,000 yardsticks end to end. http://web.mac.com/jupiter8305/iWeb/manhattanmeasure/Home.html LOVETOWN, PA will involve a similar movement through Philadelphia. This time I will be lining up square panels of reclaimed scrap wood, each with a letter cut out like a stencil, spelling out the text quoted above. In some places the entire text will be visible, stretching 1267 feet. In other places, passers-by will only see a word, a phrase, or a sentence or two. I will keep repeating the text along an approximately eight-mile journey starting in North Philadelphia and ending on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania. I hope to complete this part of the project in March and April. In July I will be exhibiting the project at Tiger Strikes Asteroid www.tigerstrikesasteroid.com , an artist-run gallery in Philadelphia.
My goal is to raise $15,000. Much of the money will be used to document the project. The same team that was with me for Manhattan Measure will be joining me again. Alicia Hansen will be taking photographs, and Johnny Gerhart and Philip Armand will be making a film. There will be other expenses as well, such as cutting out the letters, renting a van, and buying boxes and other materials.
Please take a look at the rewards section and consider supporting LOVETOWN PA.
Thank you
Gene Schmidt
FAQ
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Pledge $25 or more
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DVD copy of LOVETOWN PA documentary by Johnny Gerhart and Philip Armand. Their film Manhattan Measure was selected by eight film festivals and well received around the country. I know you're not going to be disappointed with this entry-level reward. Pick one up for a friend while you're at it.
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Set of four mini-letters: L-O-V-E. These are smaller versions (4" X 4") of the letters used in the project. They look great on a shelf or a desk. Stack them Robert Indiana style if you like. You will be the envy of all your friends. Then you can remind them that love does not envy and make them feel even worse.
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Set of four mini-letters (4" X 4"): L-O-V-E, and DVD. Let's call this the mini-love combo.
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Signed photograph from the project by Alicia Hansen. This will be an image available only to Kickstarter supporters. If you know Alicia's work, you know you're not going to go wrong with this reward. If you don't know her work, visit aliciahansen.com and check out her portfolio.
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Pledge $200 or more
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Set of four letters: L-O-V-E. These are the full-size version (12" X 12" each), made from reclaimed scrap wood. The Beatles said it's all you need. I think those guys were onto something.
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Collage of entire text, made from 1" X 1" squares of paper with the letters punched out. Very colorful. About 4' X 3'. I am working on one and will post an image on lovetownpa.com when it is finished.
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Pledge $6,000 or more
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Entire text in the 4" blocks. That's 1267 blocks. Line them up around the house, stack them on the floor, hang them on the wall. It's 140 square feet of art, my friend. Sweet!
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Pledge $10,000 or more
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I have added a very special reward for one very special backer. The entire set of letters. Yes, the actual letters used in the project, can be yours for only $10,000 (delivery and installation not included). So if you happen to have a wall about 12 feet high and 106 feet long and you are looking for just the right piece of art to put on it, look no further. Not only would you be funding a huge chunk of this project, but you would also be solving a post-project storage problem for me. This is truly one-of-a-kind, and so are you if you choose this reward.
Funding period
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