Lauren's fireworks stand is coming along (see pics at right from 4:15 p.m. today).
Lauren went to the library and got a copy of Cleveland/Cuyahoga County so that firework participants could mark where they will be/were when they set off their fireworks. This component of the piece will be used in lieu of Lauren telling people where they should/could go to launch their fireworks. She decided on a date and time: June 4 at 9:30 p.m. She also claimed a domain name for the project (www.thespectacularcleveland.com) so that launchers can post documentation of their launch.
Lauren decided that the map element made for less restrictions on the project participants and left the interpretation more open and less connected to Cleveland and the initial idea of referencing the renaissance of blighted downtown neighborhoods/regions. "It can now be read as a positive gesture... you don't have to reflect on negativity to be hopeful," she explains.
I told her that I thought it's interesting that she's been charged to create a spectacle, yet she's not going to be at the opening when the spectacle is itself launched. Lauren said she sees herself as more of a facilitator. Her friend Jon Sommer from Chicago will be in town on Friday and she's asked him to work the fireworks booth (along with another friend, who's yet to be committed).
She wants some excitement around the distribution of the fireworks, so she'd like people to wait in line to get them. The plan is to have the fireworks stand open a half and hour after the gallery opens... the buzz will be that "supplies are limited."
She and her friend/assistants are packaging the fireworks in their PVC launchers, which they are painting sky/light blue with white bases. They've also scanned and printed the safety instructions from the fireworks packaging. "People may not be familiar with how the fireworks work, so the safety instructions will help," she explains. "Also, the packaging will help alleviate the temptation to light the fuses that night."
We talked about what sort of presence my commentary will have in the gallery. I tell her that I thought about having a laptop there with my blog up at the opening. And we also talked of just having the posts and photos printed and put in a binder. I think we're leaning toward the latter. Something nice about having paper copies of a blog, which is never static.
Lauren's leaving for a two-month trip across the country tomorrow at 12 noon. We plan to talk while she's on the road.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment