Art meets ecosystem during events on ‘WetLand’

With this year's Fringe Festival only weeks away, the city is preparing for some of the most innovative pieces around. One of this year's Presented Fringe Festival works, "WetLand," a Delaware-river bound ecosystem and an interactive, public performance space (on which artist Mary Mattingly will live) opens to the public Friday, Aug. 15.

Until Sunday, Sept. 21, the habitat, located next to the Independence Seaport Museum, will host a number of events, performances and other artists, so grab your life vests — it's time to go riverside.

The installation's opening reception takes place Friday, Aug. 15 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. where you'll be able to sample locally grown food produced on "WetLand" itself. How's that for sustainability? In addition, Penns Woods Vineyards will supply drinks from their pop-up wine bar.

If you're looking to be a little more green in the kitchen, Mattingly and artist Greg Lindquist will discuss alternative cooking energies at a dinner held on both Saturday, Aug. 16 and Sunday, Aug. 17. From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. dine on locally grown menu items and sip on cocktails using herbs from the "WetLand" gardens.

Water you want? Various 20-minute family-friendly sessions on topics like water filtration, purification, green storm and plants and water will be offered at 3 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 4 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. on Mondays, Aug. 18, Aug. 25, Sept. 8, and Sept. 15.

"WetLand" is good for the environment and good for your soul. On Fridays, Aug. 22, Aug. 29, Sept. 5, Sept. 12, and Sept. 19 various instructors will hold yoga classes from 6 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. with different practices explored each week: meditation, slow flow, anatomical alignment, and others. As if those vibes weren't enough to help you find your center, musicians playing instruments like flute, singing bowls, and dijeridoo will add to the mood. Local fresh-squeezed juice will replenish you after the workout.

If you're not feeling inspired to take your sustainability to the next level, then this should do the trick. Learn to make your own preserves from Skunk Hollow Community Garden on Sunday, Aug. 24. Taste some of their own and other homemade bites from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The space's first performance comes on Saturday, Sept. 6 with a rock opera whose music spans multiple decades. "Chalk Board Artists" runs from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.  

The following day, Sunday, Sept. 7, author Alison Gillespie will perform a reading from her book on urban beekeeping, "Hives in the City," at 1 p.m. followed by a Q&A session to answer your buzzing inquiries.

Forget sex in the city, its produce in the city for two hours on Tuesday, Sept. 9 when Walnut Hill Community Farm will talk at 3 p.m. on how to yield fresh fruits and vegetables in an urban environment.

The following Tuesday, Sept. 16, another urban community farm, Mill Creek Urban Farm, will be onsite to discuss storm water management in the city from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

A multi-faceted performance using old slideshow images and fictional stories that correlate, "SLIDESHOW" recycles found materials and transforms them into performance art on Tuesday, Sept. 16 at 8 p.m.

Apparently nun-mermaids are a thing and they'll be at "WetLand" on Saturday, Sept. 20 for a ritualistic performance displaying repurposed items found in the ocean and Hudson River Valley. "High Tide, Holy Water," runs from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.

In addition, various artists will take up residency on "WetLand" in addition to Mattingly's omnipresence: Esteban Gaspar Silva (through Sunday, Sept. 21), Ari Kalinowski (through Sunday, Aug. 31), Anna Ekros (through Friday, Aug. 22), Kim Reid (Friday, Aug. 22 through Saturday, Sept. 6), Miriam Simun and Brian House (Monday, Aug. 25 through Sunday, Aug. 31), and Jon Chors (Monday, Sept. 15 through Monday, Sept. 22).

More authors bringing their work aboard "WetLand," consist of Jane Long (Friday, Aug. 22 through Wednesday, Aug. 27 and Colby Chamberlain (Saturday, Aug. 23 through Sunday, Aug. 24).

Musical performers include Gunsafe, California folk-punkers (6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 18), Kwesi K, soul/folk musician (6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 11), Polluter, who are all about putting forth positivity (6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13)

If you'd like to get a bit more information about "WetLand," Mattingly will hold brief presentations every Thursday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. throughout the duration of the installation.

And keep in mind, seats are limited so make your reservations now.