project overview
Passage | Renasant Convention Center Front Street Corridor
UAC partnered with the City of Memphis and the Renasant Convention Center Board of Commissioners to produce a mural for the West Meeting Rooms along Front Street that would be visible both to visitors of the convention center and pedestrian and foot traffic. The convention center, formerly known as the Memphis Cook Convention Center, opened along the city’s riverfront in 1974. In 2019, the City embarked on a $200M modernization of the convention center that totally transformed the footprint of the space, which now features hotel-quality finishes and amenities throughout. The reimagined facility also showcases an impressive art program featuring all Memphis-based or adjacent artists.
“Passage is an immersive experience, integrated seamlessly into the architecture through the use of light and reflection.”
design render of Passage
UAC’s Yoga After Dark With Public Art event in front of Passages
Kaleob Elkins & Franklin Wallace present an illuminating take on a wall mural that’s both engaging and immersive. Groupings of programmable lighting along the interior wall dramatically change the experience of this corridor. Passage, the transition from one space to another, explores the possibilities of Memphis as the city moves forward into its third century. The installation offers a transformative experience in the visual arts where technology acts as a digital overlay of physical space. “Passage is about creating, sharing and capturing memories earned through shared experiences,” Elkins and Wallace explain. “Our goal was to create an architectural statement - an engaging experience for pedestrians, drivers, and visitors of the Renasant Convention Center.”
Rodney Ellis of Plenny Studios captures UAC’s Yoga After Dark With Public Art event, an interactive experience which combines the beauty of yoga and public art.
About the artists
Kaleob Elkins & Franklin Wallace
Kaleob Elkins & Franklin Wallace are the dup behind the award-winning multidisciplinary design studio Scissor Studios. They are focused on creating dynamic and versatile user experiences, able to impact businesses through market analysis, web design, innovative design, and progressive user experiences. Scissor is the recipient of the 2018 Red Dot Award for Session, a semi-autonomous file management system for designers.
Multifaceted designer Kaleob Elkins whips up an assortment of projects, ideas, public art & whatnot. His work seeks to make more vibrant, safe, and immersive public spaces designed with people in mind. Elkins’s work is often more concerned with the “ideas” rather than the “thing.” His research-driven approach focuses on design and fabrication processes, collaboration & community engagement to form multiple solutions and solve complex problems.
Artist Kaleob Elkins at Yoga After Dark With Public Art in front of Passages
Franklin Wallace is a UX designer and fine artist from Memphis, Tennessee, specializing in usability and progressive design. Traditionally an oil painter, he has strived to combine his passion for fine art with UX design theory, translating them into films, sculpture, and fine art material studies. His design practices aim to push what people believe a technological experience can be and craft installations specifically for both the location & audience.
