The current exhibition at the Springfield Art Association is nontraditional in many ways. In contrast to a juried exhibition, Pillsburied: Multiple Resurrections is the result of an open invitation for any artist to create a work of art using objects from the Pillsbury site or inspired by the ruins of the Pillsbury Mills plant. No artist was turned away.
"It's a unique opportunity to let anyone generate a work of art," said SAA director Betsy Dollar.
Robert Mazrim, curator of the exhibition, has been harvesting and exhibiting the aesthetic potential of the Pillsbury brownfield reclamation project for the last year and a half. This is the third Pillsbury-related art exhibition.
When Mazrim got a key to the Pillsbury site, he was inspired to invite people to look around and create their own art. More than a dozen artists responded, producing both traditional and nontraditional artwork, including pen-and-ink drawings, spray paint on metal, photography, sculpture made of materials from the factory and art made from found objects at the site.
"If ever there were a mixed-media show, this is it," said Mazrim. "The goal isn't to show the work of individual artists but to put different artists' work into the soup."
The exhibit includes depictions and interpretations of the abandoned factory, along with sculptures and collages created from objects and materials found on site. In most cases, the subject matter focuses on the nature of the ruined built environment as it is today, plus the commercial and social legacies of the factory and its products in this community and in American culture in general.
While people are used to seeing fine art in temperature and humidity-controlled environments, this art has a very different history. Mazrim says it's the first time many pieces have been in air-conditioning. Some of the artworks rescued from the rubble of the June fire on Adams Street are also included in the exhibit.
"Stuff that saw a fire also saw 20 years of decay," said Mazrim.
This show, planned 18 months ago, was actually the first art exhibit envisioned related to the Pillsbury Mills factory in Springfield. Instead, it will be the third. In November 2023, graffiti artists transformed a 15,000-square-foot space at the plant with spray paint and found objects to show themes related to the rise and fall of Pillsbury Mills and the Springfield community during the 20th century.
Graffiti artists Shock and Static from Minneapolis were encountered at the abandoned factory last September. Moving Pillsbury Forward invited them back to work under more ideal conditions. In March, Mazrim curated a one-of-a-kind, massive art installation on Adams Street in downtown Springfield, inspired by the rich history and subsequent decay of the Pillsbury Mills site. Collectively, the PILLSBURIED installation provided a narrative of contemporary society through a lens of the past. Sadly, much of the material – but not all – was lost in the June fire.
Pillsburied: Multiple Resurrections was scheduled for the SAA gallery to coincide with the popular annual Edwards Place Fine Art Fair.
"Mazrim is a curator who challenges his audience," says Dollar. "This is good to do on a regular basis."
Dollar describes what will be on display in the gallery as the antithesis of the traditional work that will be outside on the grounds. She says it will be an "interesting juxtaposition," and she hopes people who may not have otherwise taken the opportunity will view the unique exhibit in the gallery.
"Betsy has worked hard to make the Springfield Art Association more relevant and contemporary and more attractive to a wider range of people," said Mazrim. "The place is humming."
What was initially an enormous project to clean up an old industrial plant and make the site suitable for future uses has become a place with many community connections, engaging people with longtime connections to the Pillsbury plant as well as others who had never set foot on the site before.
"We knew in the beginning the potential for community benefit from the project," said Chris Richmond, president of Moving Pillsbury Forward. "It is satisfying to see it come to fruition in multiple ways. The art element has been wonderful."
Mazrim describes the Pillsbury site as a "dead place," but in contrast, "any art is life-giving." Mazrim also says he and other artists have learned from graffiti artists that immediacy and not pondering too hard can be very liberating and lead to fresh work.
"Pillsbury brings out a lot of voices," said Mazrim.
Also available only to the visitors at the opening night reception will be a chance to win one of 10 tickets to a "secret world of Pillsbury" walking tour, led by curator Robert Mazrim.
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Pillsburied: Multiple Resurrections
Springfield Art Association
700 N. Fourth St.
Sept. 6-26
Monday to Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Saturday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
An opening reception will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 6, with an exclusive video screening of footage shot in inaccessible and upper stories of the Pillsbury factory. Also available only to the visitors at the opening night reception will be a chance to win one of 10 tickets to a "secret world of Pillsbury" walking tour, led by curator Robert Mazrim.
The exhibit will also be open during the Edwards Place Fine Art Fair Sept. 21 (10 a.m.-5 p.m.) and Sept. 22 (10 a.m.-4 p.m.).
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Beyond the Stage
Pillsbury Mills, 1525 E. Phillips Ave.
Saturday, Sept. 14, Gates open at 6 p.m., performance at 7 p.m.
Moving Pillsbury Forward has also partnered with the Illinois Symphony Orchestra for the first installment of Beyond the Stage, concert experiences that utilize unique venues for immersive, themed ensemble performances.
ISO executive director Trevor Orthmann said, "We are very excited to launch our Beyond the Stage performances at the Pillsbury factory, working with Moving Pillsbury Forward, to create an experience combining music, art and food in this unique setting."
The ISO's Percussion Ensemble and Piano Trio, featuring piano, violin and viola, will perform in the C-mill of the old Pillsbury Mills. Local artist Robert Mazrim said, "The musicians will be surrounded by the spray-painted murals created by local artists, as well as the rich patina of the 87-year-old factory floor, which will provide for a unique acoustic experience beyond the traditional concert hall."
This ticketed event includes the performance experience and hors d'oeuvres catered by Conn's Catering along with a cash bar. The event is cohosted by Moving Pillsbury Forward with all the event proceeds supporting the Illinois Symphony Orchestra.
Purchase tickets at ilsymphony.org/Pillsbury. Single tickets are $40 per person prior to the event and $50 per person at the gate (cards only).
