Chris Muccioli, class of 2011

The Project

Over the last few decades, Baltimore’s burgeoning art scene has exploded. Boasting a plethora of galleries and museums as well as a source for emerging talent (namely the Maryland Institute College of Art), it is of no surprise that Baltimore has become an artistic hub. Former warehouses act as incubators and art spaces. With an industrious DIY mentality, many artists in Baltimore are freed from constraints common to living in more expensive artistic centers. Artists are free to take risks that they would not otherwise— they rely on themselves, and the help of others— to build their own destinies. 

Collected Collectives investigates the dynamic underground and DIY music and visual arts community of Baltimore. This project acts as a living database and archive, incorporating collected data, photography, video, information graphics, data-mapping, and more, to document this creative community of artists and collectives. This project offers a shared portrait of city, and offers and opportunity for self-reflection.

Collected Collectives originally began as a labor of love— meeting, interviewing, and photographing independent Baltimore city artists and collectives. The project may eventually grow from its current state and expand as the Baltimore City DIY arts scene grows.

chris' Advice

1. Start early, winter break is a good time to really figure out what you want to explore in the semester ahead. (I did not do this and was rushed in the end.)

2. Don’t get frustrated if you run off schedule. Things will not always go as planned, keep your eye on the final goal. Quick decisions and long hours pay dividends in experience and ethic.

3. Concept is king. Knowing why you’re making something look a certain way will help you better back up your project to your classmates and future employers. 

4. Be ambitious, have fun, make something awesome. Even though the senior show isn’t the end-all, make something you’re proud of and something that will be a strong portfolio piece .

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Chris is currently a designer in New York city.
See more of his work chrismuccioli.com.