Art Marathon: sparkles & sunburn

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Up early and all set up just in time for … rain! But not too much to cancel our big install day (this was third time lucky, after all) so we drank cups of tea and devoured the weather forecast websites while we sat in the car and waited for the rain to pass.

Seeing the project in negative made us excited for the next step…

Finally, painting!

Today we got the first and most important layer of the project down on the concrete. Just a little more finessing to do on Saturday, along with the all important task of marking the right spot to stand. After that we can all sit back and watch what the Japanese refer to as wabi-sabi in effect – time and the tide will change and beautify what we’ve made. The tide will wash away the moon incrementally – it will slowly wane from a full moon down to a little crescent moon, and then wash away entirely.

Today I was able to use a new (to me) material I’ve been really curious about – special glass beads made for road applications. I have several sacks of tiny round sparkles that road workers throw into still wet paint to make signs & lines reflective. We have used them in this anamorphic piece, so if you make it down to see the moon – check out how sparkly it is! Rainbow moon! ♥

Lots of people stopped to say hello and ask questions – apparently this artwork has been eagerly (and I suspect trepiditiously) anticipated by many of the local residents. I honestly didn’t realise so many people love that spot as much as I do.

Art Marathon: let’s make stuff together

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Instant Perspective Machine* opened on the 2nd of November 2012 at the Contemporary Art Centre of South Australia’s Project Space. I am so happy to the response to the work so far :duck: It was fun, people were interested and friendly. Most people figured out the machine really quickly, but the people who didn’t get it quite right were really into it anyway!

By way of description here is a little snippet from the media release:

For Instant Perspective Machine, Aurelia Carbone converts The Project Space into an immersive optical illusion installation, complete with an analogue recording device in the form of a heavily modified instant (polaroid-type) camera. The illusion is a form of anamorphosis – a design that appears to float and only forms its intended shape from a particular view point. The work invites audiences to participate in an essential part of the machine’s operation – by walking through the space, by climbing steps and flipping switches, visitors will activate the machine which will then provide analogue photographic ‘evidence’.

Sundari and the Instant Perspective Machine

With the last exhibition opening of the year also being the annual Christmas Party, the event felt really festive – it was neat being able to contribute to that feeling by giving everyone a personalised “Polaroid” to take away with them. In fact, we blazed through 90 pieces of Fuji Instax Wide Film in 2 hours! Sundari sent me this iPhone snap of her ‘evidence’ with a view of the anamorphosis & the Machine console. I love this analogue/digital business!

Heidi & Amy Joy get transported … and who is that lurking in the sidelines?

How awesome is this one!? Instax to Instagram in less than 12 hours! Thank you Heidi and Amy Joy, this is absolute gold for my research and mad fun at the same time.

There is more to the exhibition than the machine – a new video piece and some enormous prints of my new work. My wonderful new catalogues (designed by Jessica Mathews 😀 ) didn’t arrive until after the opening 🙁 but perhaps that’s a gift for those who didn’t make it to the party.

I’d like to tell you more about the incredible custom modifications on the Instax camera that Alex Bishop-Thorpe coaxed together and the superb editing in the video work courtesy of Karen Lobban, but I’ve got to get to bed! All day hiking today with the Big O (we saw 2 baby koalas and their mums!), and an early start on the Marino boat launch tomorrow – superb Miss Delana is lending me a hand on that install, too. Night!

*best results obtained in bright colours

Art Marathon: switching gears

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Back inside where I can control the light and wind! I’ve been given the keys to The Project Space at CACSA to begin installing my exhibition. I’m so excited! For this event I’m converting the space into … well, that would be telling. It does have the blinkenlights. Opens on the 2nd of November 2012, 6pm ( that’s in 4 days!) & everyone is welcome (of course!). It’s also the CACSA Christmas Doo – I’m hoping that means really good cheese. :nekopan:

The Marino project is on a brief hiatus while the tides are high.

Art Marathon: 35 knot winds

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Phase 1 of the installation

The Marino project was off to an excellent start – I’ve enlisted the expert help of Adelaide aerosol artist (and sister extraordinaire) Delana Carbone whose advice has been superlative. On Wednesday night we marked out the spot and made one enormous stencil. It was a beautiful warm and still evening – we were done in no time at all & very pleased with the results.

Unfortunately there was a big change in the weather overnight & Thursday morning brought strong winds – much too strong for precision spray painting – so the project is now on hold 🙁

Our Plan B for poor weather was to continue at the next dodge tide (the 9th of November), but we are too excited to wait & hope that conditions will be kinder on Sunday the 28th of October, just after high tide. If anyone out there can put in a good word with the weather on our behalf it would be much appreciated! Cheers!