Art Attack! invades Southeast Rochester

Jul. 19—ROCHESTER — For one day, a nondescript Southeast Rochester warehouse and office will be transformed into a hub of creativity.

Rochester artist, podcaster and promoter Bobby Marines is holding the inaugural Art Attack! Saturday, July 23, 2022.

Artists ranging from grade school age to creatives in their 70s will share their visual art, music, poetry and other creative endeavors at 1704 Third Ave. SE.

From 3 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.,15 artists and DJs will take the main stage at the event. Another open stage will let artists share up to three songs or DJs spin two mix beats on a first-come, first-perform basis.

The spot is owned by the owners of the Mexican food truck Tacos Barajas who will be on site selling food.

Marines (pronounced mah-ree-nez) said the event is meant to showcase a variety of talents and backgrounds. He said he hopes to plan other events and continue to cultivate a spontaneous and creative atmosphere at each one.

"Really I just wanted it to be as open as possible and showcase as many creative talents as we can," Marines said.

While it appears to be a major event, he said it came together organically.

"It doesn't feel ambitious, it just feels like it's always felt, I'm just getting these artists back together," he said.

There is no theme or cohesive goal for the event. However, Marines said he hopes artists find opportunities to collaborate and make their own events.

Works from Palestinian artist Nedal AH Rezeq will be on display. His works were acquired from the Syrian and Jordanian Ministry of Culture and from individuals. Rezeq was exhibition supervisor in the Amman municipality in Jordan before coming to the U.S.

Croatian artist Vladimir Stupar who grew up in Bosnia and now lives in Rochester will showcase his paintings and other work at the event.

Marines is a visual artist who has created a web series in 2020 "Voces y Visiones" exploring health, mental health, socioeconomics and justice through the lens of experiences of Chicanos, Hispanics and Latin Americans.

An Arts and Cultural Heritage Grant from Southeast Minnesota Arts Council and collaboration with the Alliance of Chicanos, Hispanics and Latin Americans made the series a reality. Marines also worked with Mayo Clinic doctors and health officials to help them reach the Latin American community with information about health and wellness.