Illuminating Brutalism: A Projection Art and Music Experience

In conjunction with University of Massachusetts Amherst’s 2022 Homecoming Weekend, UMassBRUT is partnering with the Bromery Center for the Arts on a large public event centered on projecting artwork onto the building's south façade. The event will comprise of an animated light show projected onto the large scale south façade of the Bromery Center. We anticipate large crowds from both the UMass and Amherst community gathering in the southern plaza in front of the Arts Bridge to enjoy the projection art and musical accompaniment.

The show will be designed by noted artist and UMass Dartmouth Professor, Mark Millstein, and UMass Amherst graduate Architecture student, Lincoln Nemetz-Carlson. Mark Millstein is overseeing both the development of the artwork and the projection itself. Millstein is an experienced artist who developed a special animation and video projection onto the buildings of UMass Dartmouth for our UMassBRUT Symposium in 2021.

The overall goal of the projection mapping event is to raise awareness of and appreciation for the Brutalist buildings on the University of Massachusetts campuses. The artwork is designed to emphasize the bold forms and dramatic shadows of the Bromery Center for the Arts complex and to highlight its powerful, expressive architecture. The project is part of a multi-year campaign by UMassBRUT, a UMass Amherst and UMass Dartmouth collaborative advocacy group dedicated to celebrating, preserving, and reimagining our Brutalist architecture.

The event will take place on Saturday, October 29th from 7:00–8:00 PM (or, in case of inclement weather, at the same time the following day). Food and drinks will be available for purchase. It is free and open to the public and no advance registration is required. Although plenty of space will be available for standing (or dancing!), limited seating will be provided. We encourage participants to bring their own chairs or blankets; please dress warmly for the weather. Parking on President’s Drive will be reduced, and accessible parking will be limited to spaces across from Herter hall and in the north portion of Haigis Mall. Buses will be rerouted to a stop along Mass Avenue for the duration of the event. Visitor parking is available at the Campus Center Parking Garage; the rate is $1.75/hr. and it is open 24/7.