How Cities Breathe | Yarrow Thorne | TEDxProvidence

Yarrow Thorne, founder and executive director of public art nonprofit The Avenue Concept, talks about his experience spearheading more than 150 murals, sculptures and art installations in and around Providence, RI. In the process, he learned how cities interact with their public spaces. Yarrow believes that art can breathe new life into forgotten spaces, encouraging people to slow down, take a breath and look around. By successfully creating public art encounters, in which the public is encouraged not just to observe a piece, but to engage and interact with it, relationships between people and places are created than can change how cities are designed and how public space is valued. Yarrow Thorne, Founder and Executive Director of The Avenue Concept. He earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts from Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). While a student, Yarrow established RISD’s first public art policy to create revolving walls for artists to showcase their work. In 2012, Yarrow was selected to receive one of twenty SEED Grants from the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, which he used to found The Avenue Concept. Yarrow’s vision for The Avenue Concept is a private organization that leverages support for public art projects to get off the ground, to jump-start excitement and recognition for art and its value in Providence and everyday life. Yarrow believes his dyslexia is his greatest asset. Through it he has developed his ability to work outside the box in many venues, particularly in finding creative solutions to urban challenges using public art. Yarrow has installed over 150 pieces of public art since 2012. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx