Bus Stop / Bread Shop

While in residence at Old School residency in Gorna Lipnitsa, Bulgaria, I developed a project in collaboration with approximately 20 local residents and the Mayor to transform the unused former bus stop / bread shop into a colorful youth space. I began this process after spying the decaying and roofless architecture on the edge of town. The first thing we did was clean up fallen beams, garbage and hornets nests. I started painting the grid-like shadows moving rapidly across the wall every day, chasing them in futility with my brush while wearing a handmade dress that resembled something between a big top costume and a dishrag. As I painted, people started showing up in curiosity and I began handing them materials. Over the course of 10 days, we formed a tribe with regularly scheduled hangout times and occasional translation from some of the older youth. 

The project culminated in a community event with tapas, music, and stories in August 2019. The space was tended to by locals for the rest of the season, and the memory of our activity is forever imprinted there.