TWZ

Design. Create. Learn

Vibrance for Every Soul, Every Wall and Every Story.

Emerging Creatives Fellowship | Black Arts District

Baltimore’s Public Art and Mural History

 . . . Through promoting community identity, historic accounts, and oral histories viewers will learn about the power of community collaboration and imagination. Coming Home to Color—will underscore the impact of the many ways that public art strengthens the social and cultural fabric of urban communities.

Asking questions for artists and viewers - What do we want to see? How does Art allow us to build and preserve the community we love?

RSVP

Design for every condition,

the Human condition.

Alexis Tyson, TWZ, is a visionary in visual expression, blending artistic expertise with a commitment to championing underrepresented voices and fostering social dialogue. With experience spanning curation, youth education, digital and set design .

Recently -

Let The Record Show

Installation Art | Summer 2024 - Harborplace, Baltimore MD

“This circular display of nostalgia takes us back to the days of analog sound, serving as a metaphor for the record of our lives. Do we really know where we’re going, or are we scratched and stuck on repeat?“ Jenenne Whitfield, Curator

An installation by Detroit-Based artist Tyree Guyton
In collaboration with Baltimore-based artists BlissArmyKnife, Mwaipungu and TWZ

Opening Reception | Friday, September, 28 2024

Wall with overlapping layout of records on the side wall of lefthand stairs. All the records have different colors on their inside.

Edge perspective: Wall with overlapping layout of records. All the records have different colors on their inside. Some records have been painted vibrant colors along with their covering repainted and hung.

Why Public Art?

Let’s make the world a brighter place, literally. A key part of my philosophy as an Artist is to always bring vibrancy into our everyday live because even mundane additions of color help our subconscious recognize positive spaces. Location's important - it’s not just where a piece lives but also who has access to it. Public spaces give us the chance to kick off conversations and thoughts that we wouldn’t strike up as passing strangers. Public Art invites the viewer out of their heads and into the public sphere. A chance to be vulnerable by ourselves in a passing moment.

Research-

Community Preservation

Arts and Culture Documentation

This collaboration began through Dr. Nicole King's Preserving Places class, where I worked in the Hollins neighborhood to learn non-harmful observation and research methods. As student researchers, we explored the neighborhood's history through archival reviews of city records and interviews with residents.

The SOWEBO Mural project was born out of a need from Community members and businesses to welcome all through the neighborhood while also showcasing its pillars of history. There were many steps to the process before a paintbrush ever touched a wall - all centered around what conversations community members wanted to spark and what their story was. Building on this experience, I collaborated with the Poppleton Now Community Association to create flyers and web resources that promote housing security and document the community’s stories. I presented my research and analysis at the Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Day (URCAD) in Spring 2024.