SHELTER IN PLACE

Joey Fauerso-Shelter In Place

SHELTER IN PLACE:
A collaborative photography project by artist Joey Fauerso in conjunction with New Mexico State University Art Museum, Labor: Motherhood & Art in 2020 exhibition.
Saturday, April 11, 2020 and ongoing

At this time when we are all being asked to stay home, we invite you to participate in the project “Shelter in Place,” a community-sourced collection of pillow forts and shelters built by confined families all over the world. Your ‘shelter’ will join a collection of images that will be displayed digitally and ultimately in print form. Your shelter can be any size, made from any material, and can be inside or outside. Send us pictures of your shelter, along with your “shelter builders,” where you live, and a title or material list if you wish, to misage@nmsu.edu, from April 11 to May 11 and it will be included in this project! As we receive submissions, they will be posted on the UAM instagram (@nmsuartmuseum). The final piece will be a printed poster which archives the work, date of completion to be announced.

Tips and Tricks for Shelter in Place:

  1. Shelters can be made inside or outside
  2. You can include pictures with or without the builders, or both. You can also include pictures from outside the fort, and inside!
  3. Make sure to send us your names and where you are from
  4. Let the kids take the lead! They often times have the best ideas on inventive ways to build a fort
  5. Use existing furniture for underlying support structures such as chairs, couches, beds, bookcases, trees, etc.
  6. Use pillows, blankets, sheets, and other light materials for roofing and privacy
  7. Forts can be epic in scale, or small and cozy, you can also send us pictures of multiple forts if you want!

Photography Tips:

  1. If you don’t have a tripod to use to help you take your photo, try using household objects to prop up your phone! Take a look at this video to give you some ideas to make a DIY phone tripod.. Get Creative! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTtJovKtujo
  2. Don’t forget about the self-timer options on many cameras and phones if you choose to take a photo with the builders.. Try this out and take a lot of photos to make sure you get a photo where all the builders are clear and in focus!
  3. Maximize your natural light. Try and use as much light as possible, if you have a big window, try building your shelter in front of that space so you can use the natural light to your advantage! If you don’t have any good natural light, try moving lamps around to help!
  4. Don’t forget about your background! Try taking a few photographs first to get an idea of your best composition based on your space. Try and make your shelter the main focus of your composition, minimizing any background items. 
  5. Get creative! Try taking photos from different angles until you get what you think looks best. Many phone cameras have a grid option available, which can aid you in lining up photographs, which might be helpful when deciding on your composition.