What I will show at event:
Well, the primary Foundation will be my booth, using a system which I recently developed to show my work at the festival for the Eno (to learn about its design and construction, please see recent postings in May thru August 2010). But for this show, I am planning to show a slightly different body of work than what I showed at the Eno. For that outdoor festival, I focused on outdoor art, such as planters. and other ornaments for the garden. As my pardner and 3rd eye, Vito DB keenly observed, the look and feel of the bamboo butresses of my booth integrated well with the natural surroundings at the Eno Fest. But what Vito also keenly recognized was that this booth, with its alter ego of the more machine-natured gridwall system, could also be adapted to more urban environments, (which I was pleased that he noticed, as I've had to run a sort of thin line to achieve this adaptability). This line is actually one which runs through much of my tire sculpture.
And indeed, for this show, taking place in a big hotel in urban Raleigh, I would like to try showing more indoor furnishings. So I will be working to assemble some lamps, and lanterns, as well as creating a wired suspension system in my booth to hang these from. (actually, just adding wiring to the existing butresses). This is a major project in itself, and is probably crazy to attempt, with every thing I have to prepare. BUT, "don't you know I'm loco, Ese?"
What else do I need to prepare? Well aside from revamping my booth, launching a website, designing and printing a new hang tag, and maybe new business cards, and hopefully creating some World Fair style, totally oppurtunistic memorobelia, I was also foolish enough to brashly offer the good organizers of this event some Conferrence Hall Bling, to help dress up a rather drab Hilton, and add a little 'ambiance' to the space.
One of the pieces that I am offering to make for the event is a piece that I have actually always dreamed of creating- a Giant Glowing Tire Knot. To me, the event and this piece seem like a perfect pair. I think it would be eye catching and memorable, and hopefully carry the idea of reuse nicely to viewers, evoking the symbol for recycling. At the risk of sounding over the top, to me, this form is almost iconographic of the idea of reuse and recycling, and what better setting for it, than at a prayer tent, 'pitched' to honor Reuse.
I would construct the knot in a similar fashion to that of 'Tyrius the Tire Worm' (in fact, he may be ReUsed, probably temporarily, in the piece). That is to say that I will sew tires together, side by side, creating a long tube, which I will then tie into a knot, and somehow sew together at the end. Then I will light this knot up from the inside, probably using tons of chistmas tree lights which will glow through the yellowy orangey pink, latex rubber side walls, creating stripes of glowering light, and opaque black (from the treads). It would look a little bit like the bottom half of this sculpture:
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You can see some of the striping effects in the cone of Atomic Ice Cream, when lit up copyright 2009 |
I am not yet sure if I will let it lie flat on the floor, or will try to prop it up against a wall or something. To get the full sense of the shape, its best seen from the front. (though experiencing it from the side, could also be inspiring).This front view could perhaps be achieved by placing a mirror above it on the ceiling, a strategy I have used to good effect in other pieces.
Another issue is that, as the piece is partly a light sculpture, this aspect is somewhat lost in daylight or a lit conference hall. Hopefully, I can find a place where this thing will shine. Hopefully the organizers and hotel wont suggest the broom closet!...;)
Constructing this knot will involve ALOT of hand sewing together of tires. Were talking probably upwards of 100 tires. And to complete this manmoth task, I am going to have to ask for the help of my community...
So far, so good.
My good buddy Roger Person has been kind enough to let me use his awesome installation space here in Downtown Siler City to work on the project. Jah Bless Roger. He recently opened The Outsider Artist's Gallery here in town, to his some of his more outlandish sculptures, as well as the artwork of the handicapped people he has been working with recently, in what I believe is being called the Inclusive Art Project, with Chatham Trades.
A little help from my friends:
Most days in Siler City, the town shuts down at about 5 oclock. This is traditional working class town, and we have no bars either. BUT every 3rd Friday, we artists, the Arts Incubator, and many other business in the downtown, open our doors, throw burgers on the grill and light up the town, with openings, live bands on the outdoor stage at the center of town, and vendors, from flowers, to farmers to flat bread. And during this one evening of the month, people come out of the woodwork in Siler City.
Hopefully, this 3rd friday, in about a week, I am going to have something for the more adventurous souls in Siler City to do while they are downtown....
