Absence and Presence – Exploring the Abandoned Cliff Hotel - Springfield IL 2024
Curated by Robert Mazrim

Photo by Robert Mazrim

Corrin was invited by curator Robert Mazrim to tackle a new creative challenge. The objective was to bring art, story telling, and wonder to an abandoned hotel to showcase the buildings beauty and potential. The building was to remain fully in tack with no addition or alternation to the space to be permanent. Corrin completed four rooms as well as several small installations throughout the hotel.  

Mazrim has a talent for turning what some see as simply old, abandoned buildings and spaces into a medium for art and a window to the lives of people who once lived and worked there. For Absence and Presented, he partnered with Leah Wilson, director of the Kidzeum, installing a contemporary art exhibit at 414 E. Adams Street in the former 18 room Cliff Hotel. Mothballed for 50 years, the building is owned by Kidzeum. 

The exhibit included minimalist installations, small tableaus, and multimedia projections intended to accentuate the sense of both absence and presence in this rich historical space. "The building is the star of the show," said Mazrim, explaining that the exhibit is more than propping art into a space – it's looking around and envisioning what the building can tell you. 

Click here to learn more about the hotel and the exhibition. 
Click here to explore a remix of the sounds used by Mazrim in the exhibition.