Small Art for Big Change
Breaking Expectations to Amplify Conversations about the Environment
Words Janine Stankus | Photos Baptiste Despois
Change can start with a conversation. But too often those conversations are confined to closed spaces or traditional forums. However, Really Small Museum artist Juliet Whitsett and her partner, Marianne Newsom, are bringing the conversation to the streets of their East Austin neighborhoods.
The 14th Corner Contemporary and The Banton Museum of Art are two miniature museums encapsulated in sleek 12x16x20 inch boxes, mounted in their co-founders’ front lawns. They were created with the help of Juliet’s husband, an architect, and Marianne’s dad, a builder, and each feature a single work from a rotating selection of artists.
Juliet curates works that represent a range of forms and mediums but are unified by a focus on an ecological issue. As an environmental educator and community programmer, these themes are close to her heart—and her art. “The more we talk about these issues, the more we learn and the more they’re on our radar,” she explains. “Artists are really incredible in spreading the word about what’s important…and they do it in really innovative ways.”
When the project originally opened, in the midst of the pandemic in November 2021, it fostered much-craved community interaction. The exhibits drew crowds to lively outdoor openings, front-yard salons, and hosted walking tours between the two museums. What started as a fun project has evolved into a literal conversation starter for art enthusiasts and passersby alike.
Watching people stop in front of the 14th Corner Contemporary everyday—to chat or just observe—gives Juliet hope that the art-on-the-streets concept is having an impact. “In a lot of ways, it’s more accessible; it invites the viewer to think,” she says. “The fact that those pieces are out in the world is a nice break in our everyday expected experience, so maybe it does inspire contemplation.”
This is also the thrust of her work with University of Texas’s Planet Texas 2050 initiative, which aims to help communities prepare for the impact of climate change. Juliet’s series focuses on species resiliency; she creates digital art of species that are threatened or endangered in Texas. Part of the proceeds go to protecting these species and preserving an ecological balance that is increasingly in peril.
Cultivating awareness and conversations can sow the seeds for real solutions. For Juliet, that is the power of bringing her craft into the community. “I have true belief that most people want to be part of a change, and we’re trying to figure out how,” she explains. “I’m an artist, and these are my skills; this is how I can contribute… You’ve got skills, so how can you contribute? Everybody’s got something they can do.”
Contact:
Really Small Museum
@reallysmallmuseum_atx
The 14th Corner Contemporary – 311 Harvey St.
The Banton Museum of Art – 3509 Banton Rd.
