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SUMMARY:2021 Octagonal: The All Media Show
DESCRIPTION:Octagonal: The All-Media Show is the annual\, juried all-media exhibition at the Octagon Center for the Arts in Ames\, Iowa. Originally titled the Clay and Paper Show\, the exhibit opened in 1968 to provide an opportunity to the central Iowa arts community. Over the past 53 years\, the exhibit morphed over the decades to become the Clay\, Fiber\, Paper\, Glass\, Metal\, Wood Exhibit that has featured hundreds of artists from dozens of states. The newest version of the exhibit\, Octagonal: The All-Media Show\, launched in 2018 taking a note from the past while moving forward to continue to provide an exciting opportunity for artists across Iowa\, the Midwest\, and the nation. This exhibit features a regionally-recognized juror each year\, attracts artists from across the United States\, and provides significant cash awards.\n\n\n\n \nAwards\nWinifred V. Brown Best of Show award:  $1000\nMedia award for each category: $100\n \n\n\n  \n\n2021 Juror: Jenie Gao\n\nJenie Gao is a full-time artist\, creative director\, and entrepreneur. She specializes in large-scale projects including murals\, public installations\, curatorial works\, and creative direction. She is an interdisciplinary leader with a professional background in the arts industry\, public education\, and lean manufacturing\, and an advocate for equity for artists and creative labor. As a first generation American\, she is a spokesperson for the arts as a path to cultural relevance for a diverse citizenry. \n\n\nJenie is an arts ambassador who has served as the Vice President of Wisconsin Visual Artists\, Chair of the Biennial at Museum of Wisconsin Art\, and Public Art Committee member for Madison Arts Commission. She is a founding member of Arts + Literature Laboratory and Dane Arts Mural Arts\, where she has served as a fundraiser and systems builder for the financial longevity of these nonprofits. Jenie is a TEDx Madison speaker and outspoken advocate for the value of the arts in our ecosystems. She is a former artist-in-residence at Proyecto’ace in Buenos Aires\, Argentina; Museo de Arte Moderno in Castro\, Chile; Iowa Lakeside Laboratory\, Madison Public Library\, and Artist Campaign School with Fractured Atlas. As a curator\, she has produced exhibits at companies like Promega Corporation and AC Hotel\nMarriott as a way to build bridges between artists and businesses. \n\nJenie currently runs a 1\,700 square foot production studio and has hosted 20 interns since 2018. Through her interdisciplinary work\, Jenie has become a visionary leader who knows how to bring together industries\, education systems\, and cultural representation to create a more equitable ecosystem for everyone. https://jenie.org/ \n \n\n\n\n \nThe competition was fierce this year. Jenie Gao chose 41 pieces from a total of 349 submissions by 134 artists. This means that 12% of the overall submissions were chosen for this show. The artwork is selected through a blind process (the juror sees the artwork without the artist’s name or location). Award winners will be selected by the juror just before the show opens. Awards are partly funded through an endowment from the Brown Family. We would also like to thank our Octagonal sponsor: Haila Architecture\, Structure\, and Planning.\n \n2021 Award Winners\n\nPriscilla Sage Fiber Award: “Iridescent Turkey Sticker on the Outside” by Lily Martina Lee. Sponsored by Haila Architecture\, Structure\, and Planning.\n \nJanet Harris Squires Clay Award: “Ignorant” by Ingrid Lilligren. Sponsored by Haila Architecture\, Structure\, and Planning.\n \nMartha Benson Metal Media Award: “Quilted Grid” by Jeremy Diamond. Sponsored by Haila Architecture\, Structure\, and Planning.\n \nVeronika Ruedenberg Mixed Media Award: “The Transition of Venus” by Jamie Malone. Sponsored by Haila Architecture\, Structure\, and Planning.\n \nPaper Media Award: “Frozen Floral Waste #1” by Jody Boyer. Funded by the Brown Family Endowment Fund.\n \nWood Media Award: “Tortuous” by Tom Whalley. Funded by the Brown Family Endowment Fund.\n \nPainting Media Award: “Self Portrait as an Invasive Species” by Caylin Jayde. Funded by the Brown Family Endowment Fund.\n \nEmerging Artist Award: “Baptism” by Paige Holzbauer. Funded by the Brown Family Endowment Fund.\n \nWinifred V. Brown Best of Show Award: “Stretched Thin” by Katie Walberg. Funded by the Brown Family Endowment Fund.\n\n \nPlease visit our YouTube channel to see the virtual reception\, which includes juror comments and a panel discussion with artists (Jody Boyer\, Tibi Chelcea\, Cyndi O’Hern\, and Josh Sorrell) here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvK13pCHrqg\n \n \n \n2021 Accepted Works\n\n\n\n\nFirst Name\nLast Name\nTitle\n\n\nChris\nAbigt\nRock Bridge\n\n\nJanet\nBergeron\nKetchikan\n\n\nJody\nBoyer\nFrozen Floral Waste #1\n\n\nMakayla\nCarlson\nTesting the Waters\n\n\nMakayla\nCarlson\nWhatever Keeps You Is All Right By Me\n\n\nNanette\nCatigbe\nHeart of Glass\n\n\nTiberiu\nChelcea\nRandomly Accessed Memory #4\n\n\nKelly\nDevitt\nOutward\n\n\nJeremy\nDiamond\nQuilted Grid\n\n\nTerry\nDooley\nLittle Big Creek\n\n\nMaggie\nDouglas\nSurroundings\n\n\nJennifer\nDrinkwater\nMan\, Superman\, Gunman (March 11\, 2013: Part I)\n\n\nNathan\nEdwards\nHorizons\n\n\nCharlie\nEsker\nthe divine feminine\n\n\nDesiree\nFuller\nStill Life #4\n\n\nDavid\nGarrison\nRushing Water\n\n\nCindy\nGould\nSalt Flats: Great Rann of Kutch\n\n\nJill\nGuffy\nSmall Quilt Collage II\n\n\nSusan\nHeggestad\nEmbellishments: Adorn/Repress\n\n\nPaige\nHolzbauer\nBaptism\n\n\nRandy\nHoshaw\nSWITCHGRASS ON 69\n\n\nCaylin\nJayde\nSelf Portrait as an Invasive Species\n\n\nMarcia\nJoffe-Bouska\nRIO DE MI CORAZON (triptych)\n\n\nCarole\nKunstadt\nPRESSING ON No. 8\n\n\nDiane\nKunzler\nTurbulence\n\n\nLily Martina\nLee\nIridescent Turkey Sticker on the Outside\n\n\nLily Martina\nLee\nPot is the New Tanning\n\n\nIngrid\nLilligren\nIgnorant\n\n\nJamie\nMalone\nThe Transition of Venus\n\n\nChristopher\nMerchant\nEnd Table Cabinet\n\n\nCynthia\nO’Hern\n(F)emanate\n\n\nChuck\nRichards\nA Gallery of Grotesque Self-Portraits\n\n\nAnna\nSegner\nBite Back\n\n\nJosh\nSorrell\nViral\n\n\nJac\nTilton\nBullis Discount\n\n\nJac\nTilton\nChillin’ Below Michigan Ave.\n\n\nKatie\nWalberg\nStretched Thin\n\n\nGina\nWestergard\nWith The Stars and With Me\n\n\nTom\nWhalley\n3-D Portholes: A Study in Black and White\n\n\nTom\nWhalley\nTortuous\n\n\nAlicia\nWilkinson\nSetting The Oppressed Free
URL:https://octagonarts.org/event/2021-octagonal-the-all-media-show/
LOCATION:Octagon Center for the Arts\, 427 Douglas Avenue\, Ames\, IA\, 50010\, United States
CATEGORIES:Exhibits
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20210417
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20210523
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SUMMARY:What's Good Project JENNIFER DRINKWATER
DESCRIPTION:LOCATED IN THE COMMUNITY GALLERY \nPlease join us for a closing reception on  Thursday\, May 20th\, 5 – 7pm with artist\, Jennifer Drinkwater! The reception will be at the Octagon Community Gallery. \nWhat is What’s Good\, you ask. \nCulturally\, it seems that we are addicted to negativity. What happens when we deliberately acknowledge and discuss the assets in our communities? What happens when we make a choice to look for what is working where we live? Can this build community momentum and lead to a “spiraling up effect” within the community? \nThe What’s Good Project stems from asset-based community development and highlights community strengths. According to research\, shifting focus from community challenges to strengthening community assets can result in more effective community improvement. Using that as a framework and art as the output\, The What’s Good Project explores what we value where we live. \nA Mississippi native\, Jennifer Drinkwater has lived in various communities across the country – including the Mississippi Delta\, a state park in Western Massachusetts\, New Orleans\, multiple Appalachian Trail crew base camps\, a Blackfoot reservation in Montana\, along the shoreline of Lake Turkana in Kenya\, Eastern North Carolina\, Mississippi suburbia\, college-town Iowa\, Atlanta\, and artist residencies in Truth and Consequences\, NM; Peoria\, IL; Marquette\, NE; Johnson\, VT; and New York Mills\, MN.\nShe has spent one year of her life in tents\, and currently lives with her beloved husband and dog in a house in Ames\, Iowa. \nJennifer is an assistant professor with a joint appointment between the department of art and visual culture and Iowa State University extension and outreach. She has a B.A. in both studio art and anthropology from Tulane University and earned an M.F.A in\npainting from East Carolina University. Her paintings have been exhibited nationally in juried and solo exhibitions and have been featured in New American Paintings and Studio Visit magazine. \nJennifer explores how we bring artwork from the studio into the world\, and accordingly\, how this work can both build and shape community. During the past few years\, she has partnered with communities in Iowa and Mississippi in various community\nart projects\, programming and theatre productions. She helped to organize a community-wide steamroll printmaking event in Perry\, Iowa; created installations in restored prairies in Nebraska; collaborated on public art projects in vacant sites on\nIowa main streets; spearheaded a community knit-bombing project; and painted two murals with middle school children on a juke joint in the Mississippi Delta.
URL:https://octagonarts.org/event/whats-good-project-jennifer-drinkwater/
LOCATION:Octagon Center for the Arts\, 427 Douglas Avenue\, Ames\, IA\, 50010\, United States
CATEGORIES:Exhibits
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20210529
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20210704
DTSTAMP:20260523T141803
CREATED:20210112T212921Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210112T212921Z
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SUMMARY:Octagon Member Show
DESCRIPTION:LOCATED IN THE COMMUNITY GALLERY \nMore information coming soon.
URL:https://octagonarts.org/event/octagon-member-show/
LOCATION:Octagon Center for the Arts\, 427 Douglas Avenue\, Ames\, IA\, 50010\, United States
CATEGORIES:Exhibits
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20210710
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20210814
DTSTAMP:20260523T141803
CREATED:20210112T213853Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210811T164447Z
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SUMMARY:Theater of The Absurdo LEON RICHMOND
DESCRIPTION:LOCATED IN COMMUNITY GALLERY \nArtist Statement \nWhy is when\, and now is why\, and we will ALWAYS want\, AND all is “What the holy crap!” \nNever has this been an obstacle for lucid critical or crucial thought for whom the dummbbbell tolls in the skies of material wantonness. Q: How did we even get here? The needs\, creeds and greeds of all the wants are re-assembled in this body of work. Faux luxury facilitated by dead corporate machines like Sears\, JC Penny’s and Montgomery Wards with 1200 page catalogs are a good place to begin perhaps. Paper bricks printed on glossy non-archival paper layered to the sky for empire building. If aliens from outer space were to visit us right now\, many of their questions could be answered in those catalogs. Core samples have been gathered in these non-fine art things and born again from merely rummaging through the grave yards of consumable “goods” re-swapped for $$ in the stores of thrift and performing fleas. By the process of cultural anthropology\, many of these cheap consumer goods have been given a new life\, again to adorn the walls and tables of mainstream America. The artist has found inspiration in the cheap stuff of yester-year\, thusly re-arting the stuff that was mass-produced to give the façade of style and class. So hurry! We’re running out of stuff fast! \nThe white middle/upper/other classes examined have been recorded in both the good and bad books of history and consequently flushed out the birth canals of the unimaginative landfills (progress). Facsimiles with objective meanings defy our understanding in the rubbish now\, yet provide proof-positive of who we were\, who we are and what we mostly still want to be. So uselessly useful in their time now become “utilitarian fine art” again for their utilitarian purpose in the third place. Artistic alchemical license has freely given the artist a full-on-all-out-all-American stratagem with these junk store findings. America in its most peculiar vintage hour… American at its final artistic process… \nSo for now\, we look to the past for where we went wrong\, right and/or left. Based on the hunting and gathering of antiquated pictorial evidence\, allegorical signifiers\, aggressive branding and personal insider insights\, observable clues are given in an absurdist\, unflinching and often lowbrow way for your viewing entertainment. To laugh or to cry?… You decide… \nMeet the artist at the closing reception Friday\, August 13\, 5 – 7pm in the Community Gallery. Everyone is welcome and masks are required.
URL:https://octagonarts.org/event/leon-richmond/
LOCATION:Octagon Center for the Arts\, 427 Douglas Avenue\, Ames\, IA\, 50010\, United States
CATEGORIES:Exhibits
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20210821
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20211003
DTSTAMP:20260523T141803
CREATED:20210112T214305Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210924T214202Z
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SUMMARY:Image & Text: Visual Art and Creative Writing in Partnership
DESCRIPTION:LOCATED IN COMMUNITY GALLERY \nImage & Text features visual and written artworks crafted from partnerships between visual artists and creative writers. Whether the individual artworks or the overarching concepts behind the artworks are the collaboration\, this gallery installation intends to show artwork generated by the interplay between (or among) visual artists and creative writers. A call for artists took place in the summer of 2019. Originally planned for the 2020 gallery season\, the pandemic required rescheduling of this gallery show. \nAdditionally\, throughout the month of September\, The Octagon will be hosting several events to celebrate the collaboration of visual art and writing. We would love to have you join us! \n  \nWednesday\, September 1st\, 7:00 PM  \nGallery Talk with Debra Marquart and Ingrid Lilligren \nA conversation with Ingrid and Debra involving art\, readings of poems and excerpts\, and a view into how collaboration between the artists creates new visual art. Watch the recording here: https://fb.watch/8b3U_6AZd4/ \n  \nThursday\, September 9th\, 6:00 – 8:00 PM  \nEraser Poetry + Collage and Open Mic Night \nA drop-in activity to learn about and create eraser poetry and collage alongside a public open mic night. Share the creative writing in your life. $5 suggested donation to help The Octagon cover material costs. Partnership with the Emerging Writers. \n  \nThursday\, September 16th\, 6:00 – 8:00 PM  \nGalley Show Reception \nA reception to celebrate the works of all artists in the show. Plus impromptu poetry readings of the show artists in attendance. See the Facebook event here. \n  \nThursday\, September 23rd\, 6:00 PM NEW TIME! \nWords Meet Art with Ana McCracken \n A literary arts event that demonstrates through words how art invokes feelings\, triggers memories\, and inspires conversations across divides and demographics\, plus a special announcement. \n  \nThursday\, September 29th\, TBA \nReading Night with the Emerging Writers at Dog-Eared Books \n A literary arts event that demonstrates through words how art invokes feelings\, triggers memories\, and inspires conversations across divides and demographics. \n  \nSaturday\, October 2nd\, 12:30 – 4:00 PM \nBookbinding: The Cross Structure Book\, Ages 16+ \nA class on bookbinding. The Cross Structure binding is a non-adhesive structure that offers much freedom to the text block. This 20th century design is greatly inspired by the Long Stitch bindings of the medieval era. It is suitable for conservation or new bindings\, such as travel journals or decorative bindings. The structure is uniquely constructed by interlocking the front and back covers at the spine. Instructed by Peggy Johnston. Pre-registration is required. Cost $95 class fee.
URL:https://octagonarts.org/event/image-text-visual-art-and-creative-writing-in-partnership/
LOCATION:Octagon Center for the Arts\, 427 Douglas Avenue\, Ames\, IA\, 50010\, United States
CATEGORIES:Exhibits
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20211012
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20211107
DTSTAMP:20260523T141803
CREATED:20210112T214613Z
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SUMMARY:The Art of Climate Planning
DESCRIPTION:LOCATED IN THE COMMUNITY GALLERY \nThe Art of Climate Planning is produced by The EcoTheatre Lab and funded by a City of Ames Small Art Grant. The project is inspired by the City of Ames’ commitment to developing a climate action plan in the coming months. The EcoTheatre Lab commissioned seven local artists to develop art pieces with the aim of encouraging community participation in the climate action planning process. These art pieces will be displayed in various community spaces through March 2022. A big thank you to everyone involved in the Octagon Center for the Arts’ Outrage to Change Project in Summer 2020\, which inspired the structure for The Art of Climate Planning.  \nAbout The EcoTheatre Lab: The EcoTheatre Lab is a small collective of three Ames artists (Charissa Menefee\, Taylor Sklenar\, and Vivian M Cook). They partner with fellow ISU and Ames artists and community members to produce arts events that build community and engage audiences in sustainability conversations. They approach their work from an asset-based perspective\, examining the many assets that exist within our community and identifying ways to amplify and build on those assets through art. Follow The EcoTheatre Lab on Facebook and Instagram.  \nWork in image by Keygan Sands. \n 
URL:https://octagonarts.org/event/art-of-climate-planning/
LOCATION:Octagon Center for the Arts\, 427 Douglas Avenue\, Ames\, IA\, 50010\, United States
CATEGORIES:Exhibits
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20211113
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20211225
DTSTAMP:20260523T141803
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SUMMARY:AMENDA TATE
DESCRIPTION:LOCATED IN THE COMMUNITY GALLERY \nArtist Statement: \nIn Latin\, the word Manibus means “from the hand.” I created the Manibus robotic painting device to utilize as an extension of the artist’s hand. A dancer wears a motion-sensing remote directing Manibus to render an artistic depiction of elapsed time and motion. Using this tool\, I capture and translate the movement and visceral dynamics of dance into painted works of art.  \nI facilitate collaborative processes as a director combining the necessary components for creating the work of art. With a nod to Abstract Expressionism\, I allow for spontaneity in the mark\, but utilize my own set of constraints to orchestrate order in the process. I determine the scale\, width of the brush\, the color\, the starts and stops\, while resigning myself to accept some aspects of the output as they occur.  In the spirit of Happenings\, I encourage the contribution of creative energy within a prescribed structure.  \nMy process yields an observable abstract representation of what has transpired. It is an opportunity to analyze the fleeting movements of dance. The works take shape as dynamic linear renderings that embody kinetic verve. The emotion of the dance becomes a painted vestige honoring that instance in time. The lingering traces are mapped connections facilitated by social interaction\, art\, engineering\, and technology. \nMy work explores how art and dance can be utilized in a participatory way to cross societal divides\, break down barriers and increase empathy through tangible and embodied interactions.  Through imagination\, curiosity\, and courage\, we can increase our self-awareness to grow introspectively and consciously thereby enabling us to better understand the experiences of others. I have been conducting happenings/events that encourage public participation in the performative and improvisational creation of a collaborative work of art as a means to explore social structures and confirm connections to being emotionally intelligent humans. \nThis work questions responsible use of technology\, the construction of identity in a socially digitized world\, authorship and ownership\, privacy\, and legacy.
URL:https://octagonarts.org/event/amenda-tate/
LOCATION:Octagon Center for the Arts\, 427 Douglas Avenue\, Ames\, IA\, 50010\, United States
CATEGORIES:Exhibits
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20211230T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20220130T173000
DTSTAMP:20260523T141803
CREATED:20211228T223142Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20211228T223142Z
UID:13246-1640858400-1643563800@octagonarts.org
SUMMARY:The Colors of Nature BRIDGET MARCUS & PAMELA DOUGLAS
DESCRIPTION:Bridget Marcus has been bird watching for most of her life and her wonder and love for birds is only increasing as the vulnerability of our avian neighbors becomes ever clearer. Growing up in South Africa much of her free time was spent in the “bushveld” resulting in a deep knowledge of South African birds. Since emigrating to the midwest United States\, she has grown to know and love the birds of eastern deciduous forests and urban gardens. \nBridget loves intense\, highly saturated color and so has been drawn to pastels. Jack Wilkes\, her private teacher and mentor\, has exposed her to the magic of this medium. \nInspired by the depth of color with pastels\, Bridget has recently started developing a body of work depicting American birds that are attracted to the Michigan woodland property where she and her husband\, Rick\, are actively birdscaping by planting native plants to attract the insects on which specific bird species depend. This summer’s birds of note include scarlet tanagers\, indigo buntings and cedar waxwings bathing in the pond\, which was built as a source of water for the birds. \nAs a part of Bridget’s commitment to aid in bird conservation\, she will donate 30% of any sales at this exhibition or from online sales to the Audubon Society to assist them in the meaningful work being done by this important organization. \n“My lifelong connection with nature feeds my soul but I fear that opportunities to experience first hand its exquisite beauty and wonder are rapidly diminishing with the inexorable rise in extinction rates of so many species. I aim to share my love of and reverence for some of these magnificent creatures by depicting them through the use of texture and vibrant color. I hope to inspire those who see my work to slow down\, notice\, and feel.” \nPamela Douglas specializes in painting and drawing. She has worked in a lot of dierent mediums\, but over the last several years\, her works are primarily created in pastel. Landscapes and still life are the subject matter she paints most often. Rather than represent the row crops of the midwest\, Douglas is  drawn to the beauty of the natural landscape. Her still life work contains contemporary compositions representing simple objects set in a specific orientation in space. \nWhether in the studio or outside along a dusty road\, Douglas enjoys the experience of being in the moment while painting. Through her works\, she invites the viewer to imagine the serenity found in nature and hopefully to realize how important those places are in our world. \nIn Douglas’ work\, the interaction of color intensity and temperature strengthens the illusion of light\, color\, and form. Through her continued investigation of the use of color\, she intentionally works to produce the limits of depth or atmosphere. \nDouglas applies pastel in a layered method\, working first with the hardest density pastels and then finishing with soft pastels. Values are generally applied from dark to light. Depth of space is created by applying just the right temperature\, value and intensity of color where needed. \n“As a child\, most of my fondest memories are about creative play. I believe being actively creative was something important enough to have brought me to what I do today. Making art teaches me something new about myself and the creative process every day. I feel most fulfilled when I am alone and experiencing the creative process.”
URL:https://octagonarts.org/event/the-colors-of-nature-bridget-marcus-pamela-douglas/
LOCATION:Octagon Center for the Arts\, 427 Douglas Avenue\, Ames\, IA\, 50010\, United States
CATEGORIES:Exhibits
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ORGANIZER;CN="Octagon Center for the Arts":MAILTO:info@octagonarts.org
GEO:42.0257584;-93.6123172
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