50/50 Inaugural Exhibition CO-HOST Now On View

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50/50 team members Keller, Hannah and Chris install radiant barrier during construction. Image: 50/50

A little less than 12 weeks ago had you driven by 50/50 you would have seen two non-descript shipping containers situated on a freshly repaved parking lot. Driving by the containers’ home at 1628 Wyoming today and you will find a much different view, a fully operational and sustainable off grid gallery.

The gallery opened on Friday, August 21st with inaugural exhibition CO-HOST.

CO-HOST is an annual exhibition that utilizes 50/50 as a whiteboard for exercising artists’ collaborative capabilities. This curatorial exploration and the outcomes will change from year to year based on the chosen artists. CO-HOST is 50/50’s version of a ‘solo’ show, exhibiting one local and one national artist.

2015’s iteration of CO-HOST focuses on two artists that utilize half digital and half analog processes.  Kristin Walsh (NY) constructs mirrored acrylic objective and non-objective sculptures and projects Google Earth landscape videos onto them.  Together, the sculptures are installed in response to the exhibiting space to create Critical Topographies.  Alongside Walsh, Robert Howsare (KC) responds to the gallery space with his installation, IV Phases.  In this work, Howsare silkscreens CMYK patterns onto 16 mm film, and runs through a vintage sound projector.  The pattern and color dictates the images and sounds created, and is dependent on the original silkscreen. As previously shared, the work identified for this particular exhibition set out to showcase 50/50’s embrace of 21st century technology.

“The cleverness of 50/50 is that it is using current technologies to create a platform with the potential to continue on in many different incarnations. The 50/50 team is consciously creating an adaptable model for artistic discourse that envisions a future in which the digital and analog coexist and creatively extend each other.” – Meredith Derks

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Kristin Walsh’s installation for CO-HOST as viewed through window. Image: Kristin Walsh

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View of 50/50 on it’s vacant corner lot just north of the Kemper Arena. Image: 50/50


CO-HOST has received local media attention including articles in the Kansas City Star and Pitch. Collaborators on the project such as Kansas City Design Center grad Christina Henning and Director/CEO Vladimir Krstic have taken time reflect and share their experiences working with 50/50.

“While the physical footprint of 50/50 is small, the impact on the artist community both locally and nationally is already unmistakably significant.” – Christina Henning

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Featured artist Ari Fish and daughter Iko in front of her billboard, “OPEN”. Image: 50/50

Upcoming events:

Saturdays until Friday, October 2nd  |  CO-HOST on view from 12 – 5 p.m. and by appointment

Monday, September 14th  |  Call for billboard proposals opens online

Monday, September 28th  |  Deadline for submitting billboard proposals

Friday, October 16th  |  Things To Be Read exhibition opening from 6 – 10 p.m.


For more details regarding the progress of the project connect using any of the platforms below or visit 5050kc.com

Facebook: facebook.com/5050kc

Instagram: instagram.com/5050kc

Twitter: twitter.com/5050kc

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