Moving Pillsbury Forward graffiti art exhibit in demand, a second showing scheduled

An art exhibit hosted on the site of the former Pillsbury plant will be open Saturday for a showing before the winter chill.

Moving Pillsbury Forward announced Monday that "Visitors", an art exhibit created in the "C-Mill" of the former flour factory, will be open from 5:30-8 p.m.,in response to requests for another chance to experience the exhibit.

Admission is free and people are asked to enter the facility through the entrance at the south dock on 16th and Phillips streets. It is recommended that people dress warmly, wear heavy boots, and bring a flashlight and camera in the dark space.

More: Art exhibitions, recovered items provide backdrop for Pillsbury tours

The product of Shock and Static, a pair of Minneapolis-based graffiti artists who were roaming the plant in September, "Visitors" explores various themes and emotions about the rise of the Pillsbury mill and its gradual decline, along with the evolution of the community that surrounds it on the north end of Springfield.

Shock and Static were brought on board by Moving Pillsbury Forward as artists-in-residence. They worked with historic curator Robert Mazrim to create the exhibit using graffiti and salvaged materials from the site, which provided a kind of "funeral" for the site. It will be cleared at some point in the next 24-38 months, depending on the ability of the organization to obtain grant funding for remediation work.

The exhibit also contains work from other graffiti artists and local artisans, providing a unique partnership between street artists like Shock and Static, landowners, and brownfield clean-up groups.

The organization also announced a pair of guided tours on Dec. 2, scheduled for 12 p.m. and 2 p.m., weather permitting, in response to continued demand to see the site.

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Moving Pillsbury Forward to open art exhibit for second showing