Photography by Matt Marcinkowski
Regina Martinez, April Fulstone, and Angelina Fasano
It started with three artists coming together. Two years ago, artist/entrepreneur Angelina Fasano, musician/educator April Fulstone (a.k.a. DJ Agile One), and artist/social worker Regina Martinez met to discuss how St. Louis’ music, art, and social scenes might better coalesce. They decided to launch an art and music series, pairing visual and musical artists for a monthly night of entertainment, thought, and conversation. They called it the clothesline.
The name was inspired by one of Martinez’s fondest childhood memories: her grandmother hanging clothes out to dry beneath the New Mexico sun. The name also alluded to the fact that the wash was traditionally pegged as women’s work, though Martinez points out other significant aspects of the name. Hanging one’s clothes out to dry can be an intimate way of exposing oneself to the world, conveying a certain vulnerability. “There’s a loss of control that embodies,” Martinez says, “but it can also be beautiful.”
The monthly events are often hosted at Blank Space, a coffeehouse, gallery, and community-centric gathering spot along Cherokee Street. The people behind both the clothesline and Blank Space “were dreaming really big,” says Fulstone. “What we wanted was for the culture of St. Louis to grow and develop. It can be a segregated city, not just racially but in music and social circles. We wanted people from all different circles to feel creative and enjoy themselves.”
Sometimes the art and music mesh easily. In 2014, for instance, Silvia and Derek Dadian-Smith’s interactive installation “Videobodiment” was paired with sounds by electronic musician Syna So Pro. In other cases, the connection is less direct. This year’s events included a first-anniversary party for vintage shop Mesa Home and work by local artists Kat Reynolds and Snapdragon Studios, a tribute to Björk, a CD-release show for The Leonas’ Forbidden Fruit, and a two-year anniversary party for the clothesline itself.
To help facilitate collaboration, the three frequently dine together, inviting participating artists to a monthly meal and sometimes incorporating the previous month’s artists. After two years, Fasano says she doesn’t field nearly as many questions about “whether this is a clothing exchange.” The end result, Fulstone says, “is ultimately about collaboration, connecting people in ways they haven’t done before—and it always seems to work.”
FYI Look for forthcoming events on the clothesline’s Facebook page, facebook.com/theclothesline314.
Pick Three
Besides hosting events, Blank Space boasts a considerable collection of records that are for sale. Here are three more spots along Cherokee’s Records Row.
Dead Wax Records: The small storefront contains a highly curated selection with many cross-genre albums. Hours are limited but veer toward the weekend. 1959 Cherokee.
Endless Planets: This two-man operation is focused on high-quality used vinyl, with heavy emphasis on 12-inch dance classics, imports, and other hard-to-find pieces. 2715 Cherokee.
Kismet Creative Center: Buyer/co-founder Tom Maher offers a cosmic spectrum of vinyl rock ’n’ roll, as well as art classes, punk shows, and laughter yoga. 3409 Iowa.
