Stink Tank – It’s a name that evokes images of a feculent vat and provokes the question: What the hell is this? and Who came up with that name?
Stink Tank published its first manifesto June 25, 2004 on the website ArtInRuins.com in an essay titled Compost and the Arts: How to Keep the Arts from Dying of old age; authored by the AS220 Stink Tank: Umberto Crenca, Megan Hall, J. Hogue, Matt Obert, Rachel Pleasants, and Tom Sgouros.
It is an article well worth reading. It raised an issue which is often sloughed over when writers praise the value of the Arts to society – creativity doesn’t happen in a sterile, controlled environment. Artists need affordable space to live, to congregate, and to display and perform their art. The authors set forth clear guidelines for what is needed in order for new ideas to ferment and grow. It was essentially a mission statement from a group of creatives who had been part of the Providence art scene for a very long time.
In the early 2000’s, Umberto Crenca, one of the original founders of AS220 and a prolific painter, was invited to take part in several think tanks, most notably at the Urban Institute in Washington. He realized while he was there that the conversations they’d been having all along at the Cafe at AS220 were no less insightful or important than the words that he’d heard at the Institute. That is when the cafe collective decided to form their own group. But as this was AS220, irreverence was a reflex. Their think tank became Stink Tank. People liked it and it stuck.
Why are we hearing so much from Stink Tank right now? The answer lies in Crenca’s latest post about the recent elections. Providence has a new Mayor. This is a chance to re-imagine Providence and it is essential that Artists are part of the conversation.
“There was a trend a couple of decades ago where some cities were involving artists in every discussion,” Crenca told me, “whether you’re talking about transportation or talking about education. They’d work to have artists at the table, they’d put them in residencies and in City Hall. It was brief, but there was a moment that the artist’s perspective was valued, and cities believed the artistic process could enrich any conversation they had.” He paused. “But I don’t believe that is happening now. At least not anywhere I can see.”
Fortunately, compost needs no official invitation; in the creative community of Providence, the conversation has never stopped. The mission now is public awareness. On July 29, Crenca presented at PechaKucha Providence on Stink Tank with David Black. When Mike Ryan and Motif hosted the Arts Focus Forum on August 12 with Mayoral candidates Smiley and Morales, Crenca was one of the panelists asking questions; the idea for the event had germinated with Ryan and RI Latino Arts leader Marta Martinez, at another Stink Tank gathering. When Screech Spays RI, a live graffiti event inspired through Stink Tank, was held at Nick Paciorek’s Pitcher-Goff House, Crenca was watching from a front row seat.
Now, Stink Tank brings you Screech!!! their next public initiative. This structured, low-barrier forum will allow local artists and arts workers to speak their minds, and they’ve invited the entire community to join them. Be a part of the conversation on Sep 24, 7:30pm – 10pm at The Clubhouse, 517 Atwells Ave.
“There was a point in Providence history where the arts were recognized as a catalyst for change and to reimagine the city. We played a very strong role in that and we were psyched, and they dubbed the city “he Creative Capital.” We created districts with tax breaks – and all that was happening while there was a sense of desperation about Providence.” Providence still faces many challenges, but the fact is, the reputation has stuck. “It’s still cool,” said Crenca. “Providence is recognized by many magazines nationally and internationally to be a cool place and a lot of that has to do with the creative community and the cultural communities here.”
Recently, that’s been given very little recognition by the city and Crenca wants that to change. “As they start to move forward again, Providence needs to reinitiate some awareness and advocacy for the arts and to remember the role that we played in getting the city here.”
Stink Tank aims to kick that effort in the ass. This is a tough time for the arts. A lot of the anchor institutions of the arts community are really struggling financially and individual artists are precariously fragile. There are 100 studios in the Valley area right now, but for how long? Atlantic Mills is still teeming with artists, along with Nicholson File, but if the economy flubs, the artists will be the first to go. If these communities die, we will lose both a part of our own history and our future.
The original manifesto sums it up well: “You can grow things in a petri dish, but they need special care, and may not survive on their own. If you want to find something healthy, lively and strong, don’t build a lab to grow it in; grow it in the dirt you make from your compost.”
https://artinruins.com/essay/compost-and-the-arts-stink-tank