The exhibition will have its grand opening during downtown Springfield’s First Friday activities on Oct. 1. Ninety-nine pieces ranging from 3-by-4-foot to as large as 10-by-25-foot banners will cover the walls and poles from Mother Stewart’s Brewing Co. and Hatch Artist Studios up Fountain Avenue, appearing on the parking garage and City Hall up to Courtyard by Marriott and COhatch and spots between.
Audio-visual presentations celebrating the opening will be on the third floor of the Hatch Artist Studios, 105 N. Center St., starting at 6:30 p.m., and on City Hall Plaza from 7 to 9 p.m.
It was a year ago when we were still deep in the pandemic that Fischer pursued his artistic vision. Then came the planning and organization, admittedly the hardest part.
“There was a lot of hesitation when you start with just an idea but we had such a great reaction we had to go on with it,” he said. “There were so many great people (involved) it made it pretty easy for a big undertaking.”
A nonprofit project, Fischer got help from Hatch New Media, the McRay Company and the City of Springfield, eventually raising $15,000 in donations for the materials.
When it goes up, Fischer is confident “Your Story” could be the biggest such installation of its kind ever downtown. He also doesn’t know of any similar projects nationally aside from one at Arlington National Cemetery with 650,000 tiny white flags for each American who has died of COVID.
When planning “Your Story,” he originally hoped it would be a celebration of coming out of COVID-19 and the pandemic, but as variants persist, Fischer said it’s still a valuable and inspiring way of reminding people of what we’ve gone through and to not give up.
“This is from a first-person perspective, it doesn’t take a side,” said Fischer. “But art is a conversation. I’m just the vessel for information, I just want to shine a light on what’s gone on. What I love is I’m the hidden subject.”
Fischer has also published a “Your Story” limited-edition coffee table book capturing all the people involved and their stories. The books were published at cost and will be available for $149 at the Hatch during the event.
Cards with guides for the exhibition will be available at local downtown businesses. For more information on the “Your Story” exhibition, go to www.facebook.com/yourstoryexhibit.