Wassaic Project runs Aug. 2 to Aug. 5

WASSAIC — Looking for a fun, educational and cultural attraction to highlight your summer? Look no further than this weekend—as the Wassaic Project, the Re Institute in Millerton, and hundreds of independent artists, who soon will descend on the Tri-state area, redefine the meaning of an art exhibition.The Wassaic Project’s annual Summer Festival kicks off at the Maxon Mills on Aug. 2 in its renovated grain elevator turned exhibition space. As a festival for art from all disciplines, the Wassaic Project features more than 100 artists, 20 bands, poetry readings, dance performances, film screenings and a theater troupe.All performances and shows are free. The festival ends Aug. 5. Now in its fifth year, the Wassaic Project began after the Maxon Mills in Wassaic, a hamlet in the town of Amenia, was saved from destruction by business partners Tony Zunino and Richard Berry. In 2008, the former grain mill and livestock auction house began its new life as an exhibition space that has allowed artists to escape the walls of traditional galleries. Although the Summer Festival is the most visible part of the Wassaic Project, there are also artists in residence throughout the summer, working on projects in what used to be barn spaces.But the Summer Festival is clearly the highlight of the Wassaic Project season. Last year it attracted more than 3,000 people who came to camp out, see art, eat locally grown foods and meet new people from all walks of life. Plumbers, painters, pool players and everyone in between are expected and welcome at the weekend-long festival.Fields are available the entire weekend for affordable tent camping. Food vendors will sell their goods at the campground and at the events. For a full schedule of events, go to www.wassaicproject.org.Just down the road from the Wassaic Project, on Boston Corners Road in Millerton, two Wassaic Project alumni are curating a show in the big red barn at the Re Institute, a gallery space owned and operated by sculptor Henry Klimowicz.Lauren Was and Adam Eckstrom are the art collaborative known as Ghost of a Dream. The duo first came to this area to do a Wassaic Project summer residency. They liked it so much, they ended up buying a house up here.This year, in addition to doing work at Wassaic, they have invited a number of artist friends to come and put on a show in the former livestock barn that is now home to the Re Institute. Was and Eckstrom said in a press release for the show that, “Quite often, as artists, or even as people, we feel pigeon-holed into making one style or signature body of work, and are discouraged from making work outside this trajectory. “Through conversations with artists we realized that many people we know have other bodies of work in their heads that are either not being made, or are being made under pseudonyms. Those who do leave their disciplines often have to work under a pseudonym.”This show, called Another Side, is an acknowledgment and a bit of a spoof of that idea. Many of the artists used false names. Some see a bit of humor in it. Breanne Trammell, for instance, in her artist statement said she “invented the artist Brian Allen after multiple times of people misreading my name and mistaking me for a male artist.” She said she gave “Brian” her ex-husband’s last name and created a character that makes ‘Dude Art,’ inspired by Chuck Norris, muscle cars and the often overlooked uses of vernacular typography.”The Re Institute show opens Aug. 2 with a reception from 6 to 9 p.m. The show is only open by appointment after that (call 518-567-5359), until the closing party on Aug. 25 from 7 to 9 p.m. For more information, go to www. reinstitute.com.