[1]Sarasota Hosts 1st International Street-Painting Festival In The U.S.
Come join the Sarasota Chalk Festival On October 30th and 31st as it celebrates the spectacle of Street Painting, a 400 year-old performance art cultural tradition. The festival originated in Europe when Madonnari (street-painters) would recreate images of the Madonna on the surface of the streets for tips. The Sarasota Chalk Festival is also celebrating being the first international street-painting festival in the United States!
Professional I Madonnari (street-painters) and artists will transform South Pineapple Avenue in Burns Square into a gallery of fine art using the street pavement as their canvas and chalk as their medium.
This years theme is a little funny and a little spooky all Halloween style! The total opposite of last year’s theme, the Goddess Flora. This year’s theme is the secular holiday Halloween.
Internationally known professional street-painters will travel to Sarasota from all over the United States. Jay Schwartz from California, participating for his second season states, “the biggest allure of the medium is that it is a pure art form a mix of Fine Art and Performance Art. The paintings are ephemeral vulnerable to the elements and only viewing them in context can provide a lasting impression.”
Many professionals are from Florida, thanks to other street painting venues, such as Lake Worth, entering their 18th season!
Dozens of artists from all over the world such as Mexico, Italy, Germany, Slovenia, Netherlands and Canada will fly to Sarasota to participate. The Sarasota community has students and artists participating for their second and third seasons, helping build a foundation of street painters who one day will be Sarasota’s I Madonnari, traveling to other festivals representing Sarasota around the world.
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