Floating on Cloud 619

By Albert Songalia at October 7, 2011 | 8:15 am | Print

Hi folks! This is your friendly neighborhood artist and museum facilitator, Albert Songalia, back again to give you the new happenings here in The New Children’s Museum.

It’s been a busy, crazy week here at the museum. We got a lot of our TRASH artists coming in to work on their art for the exhibit this week, a few have even been or is currently in the process of being constructed and installed. I was able to witness one of Kianga Ford’s pieces get lifted and placed on the upper level earlier this week. Her piece, titled “Complex SD/TJ Hillside-12″, consists of two parts, and the bigger part was the one that got elevated and bolted on to the upper level wall. The kid in me really enjoyed watching that. Oh yeah, I also really liked the sparks that I saw when metal was being cut (see… big kid). Currently, my colleagues are working on completing the flooring and walls for the piece and in the end it’s going to look like an apartment complex like you’ve never seen before complete with some original narratives for our visitors’ listening experience.

The upper half of Kianga Ford's "Complex SD/TJ Hillside-12" getting lifted and bolted on to the upper level floor.

I can see more work being done on Vik Muniz’s exhibit area. Last time, light boxes were built. This time, construction has started on a platform. I didn’t mention this before, but Vik’s exhibit will take up the whole White Studio on the upper level. His area will be part display (I just saw one of the Vik’s large photographs and it’s beautiful) and part workspace (Vik’s workshop is going to be a fun and one that will provide participants with insight into the artist’s work process). It’s going to be a definite must-see and must-do for our visitors.

A preview of what's going into Vik Muniz's art exhibit.

The main piece for Chris Sollar’s “Play-Fill” art piece just arrived earlier today. Imagine a dumpster converted into something kids can play and climb on. Oh yeah, there’s even going to be a slide. Can you guess what the slide is going to be made with? Well, check it out for yourselves when we open again on the 15th and 16th next month. That’s not all, Chris Sollar is also including a video piece for you all to watch. The little I was able to preview of this video made me want to see the rest. It’s about a journey, but it’s who… er… what is going on this journey that is something you all ought to see.

A large piece of Chris Sollars' "Play-Fill".

The materials for Shinique Smith’s “Secret Garden” also arrived early this week. Can’t say much on it right now, but from what I know of the art piece’s design, it’s going to be a-MAZE-ing (wink-wink).

Jason Rogenes also arrived earlier this week to start work on his “Megalitransponder” piece for the climbing wall on the upper level. He’s going to be here working on his installation from now up to our opening next month, so there’s a good chance our visitors will be able to meet the artist at work. As I mentioned in a previous post, I’m very excited to see how his art will look like when it’s done. The pictures I’ve seen of his previous work totally has this sci-fi aesthetic that speaks to the geek/nerd inside me. Hehe… (giddy).

We also got artist Jessica McCambly in the house working on getting her art piece up and installed for TRASH. Her piece “Float” is located on the lower level where Felipe Dulzaide’s Missing Links used to be. It’s going to look like a cloud when it’s done (or at least that’s what it looks like to me). Our visitors will be able to explore her piece with different lights, allowing you to search and find the nuances and the “beauty in minimal moments” (I really hope I quoted that correctly) that inspire Jessica’s own work. Her piece is also a nice contrast to LAYER’s  “Three Horned Beast (and Baby Beast)”, which is also on the lower level but is huge and heavy, while her piece is light and ethereal. Mmmm… Speaking of floats, I want some dessert.

Artist Jessica McCambly and museum facilitator Leah Blair installing Jessica's art piece "Float".

Ah well, till next time everybody.

PEACE!!!

At the Museum, Trash Chris Sollars, Jessica McCambly, Vik Muniz