This is a site dedicated to the memory of Fort Thunder and the artists who lived and worked there from 1995 to 2001. This incredible place was demolished to make way for a supermarket. We did not go down without a fight.
Fort Thunder... a famous art commune and warehouse space that was once on the second floor of a pre-Civil War former textile factory in the Olneyville district of Providence, Rhode Island. The space was used from 1995 through 2001 as a venue for underground music and events. It was known for its psychedelic comics, noise rock bands, and colorful posters promoting Fort Thunder shows all around Providence.
Every inch of the walls and ceilings of the immense fort thunder were covered with art, ideas, and culturual detritus. The collaged hallways, ladders, lofts and libraries where the artists lived and work were an Alice in Wonderland like maze. At various times they hosted costumed wrestling and halloween mazes. Several artists lived and worked there; this group of artists is also sometimes referred to as "Fort Thunder."
In 2001, the building was destroyed by Feldco developers to make way for the parking lot of a Shaw's grocery store.
Please make note that the original fort thunder website was an incredible, labrynth of a creation, a real artwork unto itself...
and this myspace page is a sad substitute, but everyone seems to agree that its better than nothing at all...
please check the blogs for more info on that
Here are some of the artists who lived at the fort, or worked on projects at the Fort : (and please let me know who you are and if your band played at the fort, or if you worked at the fort, contribution big or small, as im interested in hearing from everyone and putting together a decent history and dedication)..
Matt Brinkman - comics, art, music
The great 'Teratoid Heights'... Bands : Forcefield! and Mindlfayer...
Mat was recently showing work at the Black Ark Gallery
http://lambiek.net/artists/b/brinkman_mat.htm
http://www.mindflayer.com/
www.myspace.com/39237070
Brian Chippendale - comics, art, music. Lightning bolt just finished a big tour. This noise band has one of the most musically ferocious live shows you will ever see. They've drawn a world wide following, and they do Providence proud.
Brian was also showing work at the Black Ark Gallery
http://lambiek.net/artists/c/chippendale_brian.htm
http://laserbeast.com/
Jim Drain - knit sculpture. Jim has received some critical acclaim and was showing his work at the Greene Naftali in Manhattan.
He was also showing work the Black Ark Gallery
http://lambiek.net/artists/d/drain_j.htm
www.boston.com/ae/theater_arts/ articles/2005/06/26/knitting_his_way_to_the_top
Peter Edwards - electronics art, circuit bent sound gadgets and other creations. Peter is one of the forefront experts in the country these days, in the realm of bending.
http://www.casperelectronics.com/
http://www.myspace.com/casper_electronics
http://www.myspace.com/animaladventures
David Karave - electronic art, cinematic self destructing robotic art.
Currently on tour, Karave worked occasionally at the fort adding artwork, dead toys and broken creations to the walls, and he helped organise some of the shows.
www.crashingart.com
www.myspace.com/crashingart
Leif Goldberg - comics, art
Was showing work at the Black Ark Gallery, the last we checked...
http://lambiek.net/artists/g/goldberg_leif.htm
Peter Fuller - was the master bike wizard who made all the crazy bikes around town. We hear that he still does.
Rob Cogshall - was one of the first to live at the Fort with Matt and Brian.
Maki - We hear he is living in Japan.
Paul Lyons
http://lambiek.net/artists/l/lyons_paul.htm
Mindflayer
http://www.mindflayer.com/
Brian Ralph
http://lambiek.net/artists/r/ralph_b.htm
Would love to do some write ups about the following fort artists, please send over any info you have.
Raphael Lyon
Andy Estep
Forcefield
Ninja vs. Wrestler
mudboy
Erin Rosenthal
Roby Newton
Mike Townsend
June 30th, 2007.
This news just came in from the crew at the Dirt Palace.
check it out! surprise surprise but the f'n shaws in
eagle square is a big fat fucking failure and moving
out and going to be an empty carcass of a crappy
asssed strip mall building! checck out todays pro-jo
buisness section! hmmm and wasn't there a tif involved
with eagle square...i wonder how that's paying off for
the neighborhood. good thing policy makers listened so
well when we packed city hall 5 years ago and said
that the neighborhood already has a grocery store that
meets our needs (price rite) and that a shit-assed
chain store development is not what we need! ok my
blood is boiling i should stop writing.
so who's ready to move back in?
