Harpo Foundation is pleased to provide project support for a new site-responsive installation by Abigail DeVille that will premiere as part of “Urban Planning: Contemporary Art and the City 1966–2017,” a group exhibition organized by Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis that traces the impact of socio-economic developments that have irrevocably transformed North American cities.
Bronx-based artist Abigail DeVille examines the histories and legacies of gentrification and institutional racism, from their aegis as policy to their visual impact at street level. Working with discarded and locally found materials, she creates theatrical sculptures, room-sized environments, and temporary installations that imbue their sites with a sense of place and personal history, often incorporating mementos from current and former inhabitants.
(Excerpt and images below selected from grant proposal. All works are copyright of the artist.)
“Only When It’s Dark Can You See the Stars” (Installation at the Peale Museum, Baltimore), 2016 
“A Midsummer Night’s Eve: A Chamber Play” (Theatrical set design) 2014 
“Hooverville Torqued Ellipse” 2012