A Film by Nicholas Ward & Amber Hansen
Queen Alidore LLC. 2016
Out of view of the high art world and the hip gallery scene comes this heartening story of unlikely partners in middle American communities working together to reexamine their histories, celebrate what makes their towns unique, and imagine their futures in the form of monumental community murals led by Lawrence artist Dave Loewenstein. Called to Walls is a thoughtful and uplifting film that not only leaves viewers reassessing their notions of art, but also with an itch to go out and do it themselves!
Selected Press:
KC Studio: Communication. Collaboration. Reconciliation. by Alexia Lang • April 16, 2016
USDAC NEWS: Called to Lawrence: A Great Film & Field Office Visit by Arlene Goldbard • March 14, 2016
Kansas Public Radio KPR: New Film Chronicles Small-Town Mural Projects by Laura Lorson • Feb 26, 2016
KCUR 89.3: Kansas Art Students Turn Into Filmmakers, Find Surprises In Midwestern Mural Projects by C.J. Janovy • Feb 26, 2016
The Kansas City Star: Documentary follows artists as they make murals in Missouri, Kansas and Beyond by Jon Niccum • Feb 23, 2016
INK Artery: Community issues and public art meet in new documentary by Megan Lewis • Feb 23, 2016
I Heart Local Music: Filmmakers fill documentary with local music. Feb 23, 2016
KU Alumni Magazine: Moral Murals by Steven Hill • Jan 21, 2016
KCUR's Central Standard: listen to a round-table discussion about the impact and meaning of murals with Gina Kaufmann, Hector Casanova, Amber Hansen, and Dave Lowenstein. November 5th, 2015
"Called to Walls is an uplifting, entertaining, heartwarming and deeply intelligent model not only for creating murals but for sparking community dialogue. Unrecalled histories surface to challenge small towns' self images. Tornado survivors rebuild. Multicultural conflicts are resolved. Who could fail to be impressed by the joy and dedication the film displays on the way to imagining a better world?" -- Lucy R. Lippard, author of Get the Message? A Decade of Art for Social Change.
"I love this work as it is exactly my practice from community meetings, to historical and contemporary research, to community engagement and design team formation. In light of all the awful new “branding” and “throw-up” murals here in Los Angeles it made my day and gave me hope about the future of muralism.” -- Judy Baca, muralist, artistic director and founder of Social and Public Art Resource Center (SPARC).
