Angela Beallor

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Since 2011, Angela Beallor and Kate Sopko have collaborated on constructing site-­specific forts. The project brings together a variety of their interests: the history and architecture of military forts in the United States that extended claims on land, took land and defended those claims through the existence of the forts; the structure of sacred sites and how they can carve out space to protect certain practices and experiences; and making visible relationships between internal and cultural patterning.

Drawing from the architecture of childhood playhouses, sacred sites, and military fortresses, we are working to create exceptional experience through fantastical constructions. Dragon Fort (wooden spool top, bricks, wire, red flint rocks, huisache, mesquite, various thorny vines) was built at Habitable Spaces in Texas, where the landscape bites back, so it’s got some teeth.  The piece is based on a playsite Angela carved out of a large thorn bush as a child.  We make no guarantees of one’s physical safety in the structure, but feel certain there is an uncommon psychic protection that comes from standing within something fearful. Fallen trees have been shaped around the perimeter and a dome­-shaped structure has been created out of branches and thorny vines in the center.