April 2 - June 30, 2017

Working with life-sized renderings of local species on plastic packaging material combined with new work with native wildflowers, local artist Alicia Escott explored the interplay of endemic and introduced species as a meditation on community as it relates to the ecology of the Outer Sunset and Ocean Beach.
 
 Another Brief History of the Sunset, focused on a local scale of introspection, research and connectivity to discuss broader issues of inclusion, adaptation and intersectionality.
 
Escott’s studio work during her residency explored the ecosystem of Ocean Beach, a vast expanse of dunes that was once largely inhospitable to humans but provided a niche habitat for a wide array of life including the now extinct Xerxes Blue butterfly, the endangered Snowy Plover, and countless species of birds, mammals, insects and mollusks. Today, the Outer Sunset is also home to a growing vibrant and diverse human population negotiating a changing landscape.
 
Much of Escott’s work is characterized by a dedication to a research-based practice and a connection to understanding past ecologies.  Her residency at Irving Street Projects served as a framework for visitors to explore the social and ecological history of the Outer Sunset neighborhood as a way to better participate within it.

Over the course of her project, ISP hosted several community events including an opening and closing reception. Escott also hosted a discussion followed by a short neighborhood walk with Amber Hasselbring, Margaretha Haughwout, and Suzanne Husky.

PRESS:

MOMUS- Invasiveness and Indigineity: Alicia Escott's Complicit Critique by Monica Westin