Art display being torn down in Wellsville
Artist Gigi Janko owns the former Immaculate Conception church property in Wellsville that closed in 2019. She took material off the old church rectory and collected other items from houses in town that had caught fire and were being demolished. The result was a giant piece of abstract art next to the former church at the corner of Main Street and 11th Avenue.
After two years of disputes with the city, Janko is tearing the work down, all by herself. She said she started tearing down the structure last week.
'There's been a lot to reflect upon in this process, and I'm grateful that it hasn't been smooth because it's caused me to look upon things with greater care,' Janko said.
Janko came to Wellsville from Massachusetts after graduating from undergraduate school. Seeing an ad online for the old church, she was inspired.
'It felt like the place that I wanted to be next, and I didn't know what that meant either,' Janko said. 'Except that I was looking to make art and have freedom to explore materials in a way that I might not have had the chance to do before.'
Janko set up a studio in the old church and began to immerse herself in the community.
'I loved discovering the different forms of the building, and I loved the people I was meeting,' Janko said. 'I joined the fire department… They made me feel really welcome in a way that I needed at the time.'
Janko said the piece, titled 'But I Misunderstood [6 houses & a porch],' became a way for her to process and heal from her own trauma.
'I felt that it might be healing for other people,' Janko said. 'It's difficult to have any sort of intention with art, but it's awesome if it does anything.'
Janko said she and the city have been negotiating the demolition since this past fall. She plans to have the work leveled by the time she returns to school in Rhode Island in September and hopes the property can be used for other art in the future.
'Not all art looks like this, and not all people work the way that I work,' Janko said. 'It would be awesome to see people come in and engage with the community. As an artist, it's been amazing to be here as a person, and I think it'd be amazing for others to experience that.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Buzz Feed
3 hours ago
- Buzz Feed
Animated Movie Screenshot Trivia — BuzzFeed Quizzes
Maybe this is just the adult in me talking, but as I've gotten older, I've become less and less obsessed with animated movies. Not because I don't like them anymore, but because I feel like they just don't hit the same way. Like, nothing else will ever come close to the Shrek, Toy Story and Monsters, Inc. era to me. But there are still some gems here and there, and differentiating them is your challenge today. Particularly if you're over the age of 25, this is about to be realllll tough. I'll give you a screenshot, and you'll tell me which recent animated movie it's from. Ready? And there's lots more where this came from, so check out BuzzFeed Canada on Instagram and TikTok!
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
‘Leanne' Trailer: Leanne Morgan Is Newly Single in Netflix Comedy
Leanne Morgan is bringing laughs to Netflix once again. The comedian stars in the new trailer for 'Leanne,' a comedy series about a woman navigating the fallout of a 33-year marriage. Morgan co-created the series alongside producer/screenwriter Susan McMartin and famed sitcom producer Chuck Lorre for a July 31 release. The trailer shows Leanne discovering that her longtime husband, played by 'Whose Line Is It Anyway?' comic Ryan Stiles, has cheated on her with a presumably younger woman ('She has to be,' Leanne says. 'Otherwise, I'm driving off a bridge'). 'Supported by her family, including her ride-or-die sister Carol (Kristen Johnston), Leanne learns to embrace the chaos and finds strength, laughter and hope in the most unexpected places,' Netflix's story description reads. 'This heartfelt comedy proves that it's never too late to rewrite your story.' You can watch the trailer for 'Leanne' below. Morgan began her relationship with Netflix in 2023 when the streamer aired her comedy special, 'Leanne Morgan: I'm Every Woman.' In 2024, Morgan released her book, 'What in the World?! A Southern Woman's Guide to Laughing at Life's Unexpected Curveballs and Beautiful Blessings.' Netflix ordered 16 episodes of 'Leanne,' which was produced by Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television. Celia Weston, Blake Clark, Graham Rogers and Hannah Pilkes round out the main cast, with Tim Daly, Jayma Mays, Annie Gonzalez and Blake Gibbons as recurring guests. Nick Bakay and Judi Marmel executive produced the series alongside Morgan, Lorre and McMartin. 'Leanne' releases on Netflix July 31. The post 'Leanne' Trailer: Leanne Morgan Is Newly Single in Netflix Comedy appeared first on TheWrap.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Nexstar set to stream NASA Live
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — NASA's live programming will begin streaming on Netflix this summer. Viewers will be able to watch rocket launches, spacewalks and views of Earth from space on the streaming platform as part of NASA's efforts to reach a global audience. The partnership comes as there has been a surge in commercial rocket launches led by Elon Musk's Spacex, which has had 81 launches in the first half of 2025. Spacex is the only U.S. company with a spacecraft that is certified to bring astronauts to the International Space Station. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
