Post Partum Gasstationistallationium
Three weeks ago, The gasstationinstallation: entropy went up. Blew up, so to speak. Can you say ‘blow up’ on the internet these days and not wind up on a list somewhere? Oh well. The installation was a long process and worthwhile. Nine days later on September 11th, a day that will live, etc., etc. it all came down.
The surprising thing was that the balloons really did not deteriorate as I’d thought they would. So. I waded in, waist deep in art and signed and numbered a hundred balloons, at random. At first I tried to deflate them carefully and save them, but it was taking forever. Thanks to Robert, a great producer and, as it turns out a good deflator, as fast as I could sign a balloon ‘gsi 9/11/08 1/100,’ etc… he was deflating like anything.
He had promoted the idea that as this was a public art installation, that the public should be involved in it on deflation day. I resisted until a pretty neighbor lady, Gladiola was her name, and her two little cousins came by and were genuinely interested what was happening. They, along with another little guy, Hovik, came into the gas station and away we went, deflating like anything. I've forgotten the other kids names, but the boy and the girl hid themselves under the balloons and popped them with glee. Robert came in and shot some video as I used my bamboo stick to pop the balloons pretty efficiently. He got a bunch of them all popped, too.
In about an hour we’d gotten most of the balloons dispatched and we gathered up about fifteen pounds of latex and loaded it into a Hefty bag. I had my special hundred (and one) saved balloons and with somewhat a heavy heart, loaded all the equipment out of the space, swept it clean and left a note for the Tropico Artist Collective who were scheduled to have their Studio Tour space there the following Sunday. I stuck a balloon on the note, but when I stopped by on Sunday, one of the artists said that they found the note, but not the balloon. Hmmmm?
The Glendale News Press and the Glendale Focus did terrific write ups with photos of the installation and over all I’m really pleased with the way it went. Visiting the park after ten in the evening was different every time. What pleased me a lot was the way it behaved exactly as I’d hoped. The amazing changing light source was amazing and changed a lot! I’d gotten the idea for the light from a brilliant artist friend, Jill Bell. She and I share a common interest in contemporary art. She is truly an inspiration.
I need to double thank Robert Roll and Tim Spain and Jeannie Gayle Pool who did yeoman’s.. er.. yeoperson’s .. service with the installing. I still have to do some interview stuff with Cynthia, the filmmaker gal. She may have some terrific artsy footage which I hope to take advantage of. Richard Espinoza spent a lot of his own time to help get the project up and I really look forward to working with him and the Arts and Culture Department again.
Finally. The Mayor of Glendale, John Drayman, seems to be very interested in keeping the Gas Station and the Mini-Park in use for the community. If the City would open up a couple of parking spaces near by, that might help with park usage. I really like Drayman’s idea that performing arts may be encouraged in the park, too. When I get my meeting with him, I’ll have a report. If there are Adams Hill neighbors or others who have ideas for the Gas Station, make them known to the Mayor and maybe George Chapjian, the head of Parks and Recreation. I’m hoping that Arlene Vidor and the Glendale Historical Society may align with the idea and that we can all work together under the aegis of the City to make art happen there.
Time Time Time exposure
I still love my old Yashica 35mm camera. It has the heft and 'importance' that the new little digital guy just doesn't have. Does anyone else feel that we are still supposed to squint through a view finder instead of holding up a little box and pointing it toward your subject?? I am coming to really love my digital, too, but for these shots, the Yashica was the one to use for time exposures.
The installation is going well. I'll disassemble it on Thursday around five in the afternoon. If anyone wants to come by, you're invited. I'll do the clean up alone, I think. Bursting the remaining balloons and gathering them up into bags won't take long.
The generous assistance of friends has been invaluable. I went to the Gas Station last night to take more photos and ran into Richard, my liaison from the City of Glendale Arts and Culture Department! He was showing the installation to his sister. He's been the lynch pin in this whole thing. He's an artist as well as an administrator, quite a combination of hats. More thanks to him.
I've offered a limited edition collection of one hundred balloons, signed and numbered. There are still several left. I figured that if I could sell a hundred at five bucks each that I'd about break even for my expenses. If you are interested, just email me at directortv41@yahoo.com. We'll arrange payment. Postage is included.
T Shirts are $15.00 postage included. Send size and color choice and I'll make them to order.
Don't forget the Studio Tour on September 14th. The Tropico Arts Collective will have their work in the Gas Station that Sunday.
Slowly Sinking into History
The VW bus in the previous post was created by my old pal, Mark. This is a pretty good likeness of him.. his self portrait.
As the helium balloons gave up the ghost early and the air filled sink slowly into the bottom of the gas station , I reflect on the state of art in the world. Biff Rose said, long ago, "Man does not live by bread alone... you've gotta have a little toast!" So, to me, when we take the stuff of every day life and give it a twist. or a toasting, we have an opportunity to go beyond our habitual perceptions. I sure hope that casual visitors who come to the park 'get it.' Of course, artsy types will have all sorts of takes and that's great, too. Sure hope they'll slip comments under the door as I've requested. Some nice visitor left a pen, which I'd neglected to do. Thanks, mystery art person.
We went back to the gas station last night after ten. Just sitting and watching the shifting lights play in the building was very soothing. The lights change constantly, but it's really subtle. My estimate was that all of the balloons would basically go flat in about a week. It'll be interesting to see how they hold up, a week from today. Daniel Castle, the www.Balloonwarehouse.com guy, sent about ten gross of the better quality balloons, for which I am grateful. The cheapos were what I was expecting. They fade more quickly. The Qualatex twelve inchers seem pretty hearty. They aren't becoming opaque as I'd expected, which is okay. It would be so cool to wrap the exterior of the gas station with a light blocking cloak that visitors could go inside of to fully appreciate the beauty of this silly thing.
On deconstruction, my plan is to arrange all of spent balloons into a sort of collage in a large plexiglas frame. I work these things out as I go along, but the idea of spray adhesive just came to me and I think that will be the answer. It will be original artwork and will probably be for sale. haha.. It may be a little heavy.. about 30 pounds and 4 feet by 5 feet. Any collectors interested??
I'm going to try some time exposures tonight. Film at eleven?
One day Post Partum
Headed down to the Gas Station late last night after the park lights had gone off and was impressed that the illumination from within was working exactly as I'd anticipated. The ambient lighting from the streets is bright enough to diminish the effect, but if you stay with it, then, you can see the changes in color and intensity in the light.
I want to thank my old friend, Mark. He was unable to come to help with the actual installation, but this VW bus, a very close model of my own old bus, except for the color and the surf boards and the fact that the doors on my bus actually open and close.. but otherwise it's a close replica..
he made for me and delivered it all the way from Van Nuys Falls to Glendale the night before the installation.
As my fingers heal and I get a little feedback on the project, I'm pleased with the way things have gone. I now have other balloon ideas that may fly.. or sit. We'll see.
Meanwhile, your comments are welcome and as this project literally sinks into the .. well, the west? I applaud the City of Glendale for accomodating my rather unusual idea. It's the first of what I hope are many artsy uses of this beautiful space.
Half full? Half empty?
The question of the optimist and the pessimist now comes into play. The neat thing is that with the extraordinary help of some wonderful friends, we were able to get over 1,700 balloons into the Gas Station in about eight hours' time. The effect is subtle, but really neat, especially when one of the helium balloons decides to drift down to see the other guys.
Tim Spain, a wonderful artist/musician, rescued me as my fingers were thrashed early on.
Robert Roll, videographer and big lung guy kept pace with Tim and me. The embarrassing part? We had the compressor!
A surprise guest, Cynthia Haagens, appeared with her super eight movie camera to record the action and the event. She not only filmed the day, but did her share of balloons, too.
L.A. Times photographer, Tammy Abbott, was thorough and really, really helpful.
Jeannie Pool did yeoman's service by inspiring a gross of balloons on her own!
The installation will have coverage in the New Press and the Glendale Focus this week, which will be nice. At this point, I wish that everyone could see the installation late at night, when the full effect of the lighting will be visible. But.. it is what it is and I'm so happy to have finally gotten it done. Friends went to the wall and past it to help. I am blessed.
There's one other person to thank, besides the City's Richard Espinoza whose support has been truly wonderful. I'll post that tomorrow.
Stage One complete
One day to go until I meet with officials from the City to check me into the Gas Station to begin the installation. I have my list and have been checking it over and over again, hoping that I've not forgotten something.
I've offered visitors to the site the opportunity to buy a T shirt for $12.00 and/or one of a limited edition of one hundred balloons, signed and numbered for five bucks. Having paid for all of this myself was and is my plan. However, the required insurance came in at many times what I'd expected to pay. But, one gets to a certain point and to turn back for financial reasons is just unthinkable.
The kid in the park asked me why I was doing this project. I responded in a too flippant way. Of course, I 'want to' do it. But, also, I really hope that my event and the Studio Tour where the Tropico Group will have artwork up on the Sunday (9/14) following my installation, will create an interest to the point that the City will sponsor individual artists as well as groups, maybe even school kids, and have art in there all the time on a rotating basis. I understand that under the City's aegis that users of the Gas Station will only have to sign a contract that indemnifies it from responsibility should something unexpected happen. My use process was a little more complicated!!
I evicted a bunch of ants and some scary spiders on Friday. I see that one of the spider's kin has set up shop near where the ants were trekking, so maybe he/she'll take care of any remaining ants?
If you are a Glendale resident and want to be heard on the use of City property and City programs, there will be two meetings coming up soon. One is on Thursday, September 11th, the same day I'll deconstruct the gasstationinstallation. It'll be held at Pacific Park Community Center at 7PM. 501 S. Pacific Avenue. Another Community Meeting will be held Wednesday, September 17th at 7PM at Mann Elementary School, 501 East Acacia Avenue. For further information, call Community Development and Housing at 818 548 2060.
Finally, if you'd like to support the gasstationinstallation with a contribution or purchase a T shirt or a limited edtion balloon, please leave a comment here or email me at directortv41@yahoo.com. We'll make a connection.
A plug for Daniel Castle, the balloon guy, is in order. Check his website for bargains on quantity purchases of balloons for just about any occasion. www.balloonwarehouse.com
See you Tuesday or through the week. Contact me at the email address above for a guided tour!
Spiders and cobwebs and ants, oh my
The Gas Station has been sitting empty for ten months, with the exception of a nice display on an easel that depicted some of the history of the neighborhood and a shot of the building when it was functioning as a filling station in the '30s and another of the hearty neighbors who stood shoulder to shoulder to insist that this small part of Glendale history should be preserved.
I went down to the park today and met with Richard Espinoza, my liaison from the Arts and Culture Department, signed a contract with the City assuring them that all is well. Put the City on the insurance policy, so that if terrorists attack, we are covered jointly.. notwithstanding a $2,500 deductible. I spent an hour sweeping out the critters and collected dust. It was a bigger job than I'd thought it would be.
It's neat to be the first artist to have work in that space. It's so simple. Huge windows and two very large doors.
A kid was playing in the park today. He told me that he lives in the apartments directly adjacent to the park. He was nine or ten. I asked him what kind of art he'd like to have in the building. He was a little shy at first and then got totally involved with the idea of putting animals in there! I told him that real animals might be a problem, but if he and his classmates wanted to make sculptures of animals... "wild animals!!" he said.. he was really getting into it!! that we might be able to pull that off.
His dad came over and we discussed the idea a little. There was a bit of a language barrier, but these guys were friendly and if this kid keeps his enthusiasm, then maybe I'll help them do a project in the Gas Station.
This view of the Gas Station is from the side. We'll use the front door there to the left, which opens out, to gain entry and won't use the other door at all, I don't think. Three more days!
