Kenneth Collins

Jan. 2020-July 2021

Kenneth Collins and Light Station

“Five Songs for Fillmore Avenue” is an interdisciplinary performance project specially conceived by Collins to take place in poetic conversation with the recent construction of Torn Space’s Light/Station on Buffalo’s East Side, a project designed by Christopher Romano, Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Architecture, University at Buffalo.

Romano had previously transformed an abandoned gas mart on Buffalo’s East Side into a signature architectural point of interest that  houses a design studio for Torn Space. Light/Station emits, captures, and reflects both the former (gas station) signage and new (arts center) identity by demonstrating that ‘hard’ technologies can be deployed to enhance ‘soft’ cultural attributes. A play on the modern “curtain wall”, the diaphanous skin (composed of 72,000 holes) very gently floats off the building and achieves maximum porosity—its interior lights glowing outward as a “beaming cultural landmark” (Buffalo Rising).

Collins used Romano’s design of Light/Station to stage an atmospheric performance of light, music, text, and video. The architecture of the building was performed for the community, as a kaleidoscope of richly colored lights poured from the building onto Fillmore Avenue, dramatically activating the corner lot.  

About Kenneth Collins

Kenneth Collins is an American artist who works in performance, film, and sculpture. He continually works across disciplines to create performances, installations, films, albums, and works for the stage that have been shown in over 25 cities in Australia, Austria, Canada, the Czech Republic, France, Greece, Hungary, Japan, Russia, South Korea, Switzerland, and the United States