Construction Begins on Interfield Architectural Installation

Construction has begun on Interfield, an innovative and interactive installation that will be housed in the Useum™ studio spaces in the Burchfield Penney! Designed and fabricated by artist Dennis Maher and Assembly House 150 (AH150), the project transforms 1,800 square feet of space into a one-of-a-kind architectural installation that will inspire creativity and allow for greater community engagement.

The project doubles the area on the Center’s first floor dedicated to art-making and education for visitors of all ages. Funded by a $225,000 gift from the Cameron and Jane Baird Foundation, the Center plans to complete the project by the end of 2022.

“It’s wonderful to see two organizations working together to benefit thousands of visitors to the Burchfield Penney,” commented Cynthia Baird Stark, Burchfield Penney Trustee, and granddaughter of Cameron and Jane Baird. “The installation will be a work of art that will stimulate the imagination, engagement, and creative process.”

Founded in 2014 by Dennis Maher, a nationally renowned artist and professor of architecture at the University at Buffalo, Assembly House 150 is an art, design, and construction incubator and experiential learning center.

Guided by the artistic vision of Maher and the AH150 team, the installation will be collaboratively built and designed by a diverse group of community stakeholders, including local tradespeople, design-build specialists, and former and current students in AH150’s flagship workforce development program, Society for the Advancement of Construction Related Arts (SACRA). Interfield will include specially crafted furnishings, cabinets, display devices, and sculptural objects to create a functional, experiential, and creative environment.

“The vision is to build a functional, sculptural environment as an assemblage of many pieces, including a diverse array of people, and in the process, to connect art, construction, and education,” Maher said. “This project has allowed us to rehire past SACRA graduates to advance their skills, and to involve many talented trades professionals in the process of making a unique and inspiring place to learn and create.” 

“Being on the campus of Buffalo State College, the Burchfield Penney is always aligned with exploring and growing our commitment to education,” noted Burchfield Penney acting director Scott Propeack. “Working with AH150 on this project is the perfect example of the interesting way that inspiration can occur in education. Our dedication to the artistic vision of a Buffalo-based artist creating an education space as part of an educational program pulls together the elements that make Buffalo, Buffalo State, and the Burchfield Penney great.”

ABOUT ASSEMBLY HOUSE 150 (AH150)

AH150 is a nonprofit art, design, and construction incubator and experiential learning center led by Dennis Maher—an artist and professor of architecture at the University at Buffalo. AH150 creates inspiring, wondrous environments for all to experience the art of building and brings together artists, architects, designers, building industry tradespeople, artisans, planners, preservationists, students, and apprentices, to build awareness of the built environment, teach skills in design and construction, and work together on impactful community projects that empower people through creative action. 

ABOUT THE CAMERON AND JANE BAIRD FOUNDATION

The Cameron and Jane Baird Foundation is a family-directed foundation that provides grants to a variety of organizations, with a strong emphasis on Western New York. 

ABOUT THE BURCHFIELD PENNEY ART CENTER

Established in 1966 on the campus of SUNY Buffalo State, the Burchfield Penney Art Center is dedicated to the art and vision of renowned American artist Charles E. Burchfield (1893–1967) and the art and artists of Buffalo and our region. 

The term Useum™ was trademarked by the Burchfield Penney Art Center in 1996 to suggest the playful atmosphere and hands-on experience that would be available in an interactive, educational exhibition space. In addition to presenting collections in imaginative environments, the Burchfield Penney commissions artists to create interactive displays to promote child and adult learning.