Author: Kbaumlier

Kristen Baumlier’s work spans the full spectrum of interdisciplinary media, including performance, interactive installation, video and audio works.
The Dream of Flying – A Gastro Geographical Aerobanquet

The Dream of Flying – A Gastro Geographical Aerobanquet

Posted on by Kbaumlier

I recently got an invitation to a unique banquet – of sights, sound, and taste.  I could not attend, but found this event to be an interesting combination of performance, site, and food.

The event was part of The Wind Tunnel Project, which is a series of events that brings together new commissions and performances by artists in the UK and other international artists.  The events all take place at the flight testing center buildings, which were used to advance British aviation techniques, and have been closed for over 40 years.

On Friday June 20th and 21st will be the Dream of Flying – A Gastro Geographical Aerobanquet, which will be held in the air return duct of the 24ft, 1935 wind tunnel. (Unfortunately – I can not attend.  Can’t make it to England by then..)

Artist Caroline Hobkinson will host an aerobanquet that tells the story of the dream of flying in 7 courses.  Hobkinson’s work can be seen on her Stirring with Knives site.  Past banquets she has created have incluced high protein rolls made with insect flour, a fur lined cup filled with liquid, a whole alligator served up on a table, 3d printed food, and spherified liquids.

Her work  combines not just unusual food but touch and sound.  The artist calls it cross modal stimulation, and for this event she is using locally sourced food.  Her work curates dining experiences that encourage diners to reassess the way they eat.

Her work looks at the world through food: its history, the rituals how we eat and the traditions of how we prepare it. She is obsessed with the spectacle of eating and how we can modulate flavor by using different sound frequencies.

Her three favorite ingredients are fishing wire, helium and liquid nitrogen.

 

Image Sources and Links:

http://thewindtunnelproject.com/

http://www.stirringwithknives.com/

The Event –  Eventbrite

Kbaumlier is featured in The Artist’s Library – A Field Guide

Kbaumlier is featured in The Artist’s Library – A Field Guide

Posted on by Kbaumlier

A couple of years ago I participated in a project called the Library as Incubator Project.  Over 100 artists were asked to answer the question, “What does the phrase ‘library as incubator’ mean to you?”  I sent in a statement about my love of libraries and their role in my making process.

The cofounders and editors of the project, Erinn Batykefer and Laura Damon-Moore continued with the project and created a book that features some of the artist stories that they collected in order to suggest new ways that others can use the library to increase productivity, inspire new work, and support a creative life.

I am so honored to be in this book, and to have my writing and images featured in Chapter 3 – Using the Library for Creative Research.  What is so cool is that there are exercises with my section – that are meant for the reader to try. (Or I might just try them for a new side project I want to start.)

Here is the official description of the book from the book website:

“Creativity, like information, is free to everyone who steps into a library. An offshoot of the Library as Incubator Project, The Artist’s Library offers that an artist is any person who uses creative tools to make new things, and provides the guidance and resources to make libraries come alive as spaces for art-making and cultural engagement. The book draws attention to the physical and digital collections and resources that may be of particular use to artists and writers, provides ideas for art education opportunities within libraries, and offers practical how-tos for artists and libraries alike. From the crafty (pop-up books) to the community-minded (library galleries); the documentary (photo projects) to the technically complex (“listening” to libraries via Dewey decimal frequencies), the case studies included in the book feature artists, writers, performers, and libraries that embody the “library as incubator” spirit.”

Take a peek at the writing or exercise page below:  

photo (2)     photo (1)

Image Source and Links:

The Artist’s Library – A Field Guide – Coffee House Press

Youtube Video of the authors – The authors talk about libraries and artists

The Artist’s Library on Amazon

 

 

 

The Role of Media and Pace and Race

The Role of Media and Pace and Race

Posted on by Kbaumlier

Recently I have begun to feel like information is going by even faster.  I can quickly find 50 interesting things that I like, find cross-posts of something I find interesting, or through links find my way into someone’s really interesting website.

Right now I spend my days with a couple of computers on my person.

Sometimes I love using Feedly and my iPad to look at posts and news.  Sometimes I want to “hoard” interesting things I find, and then post them here.

This blog has been a place where I have collected interesting things and reposted them – and also a place where I have written about something I have seen or attended.

I recently have been focusing on other projects and have not posted anything here since April.  The thing about having a website where you write about things or “blog” – is that there is pressure to create content, and keep it updated.

But what is the role of the site?  Who reads this?  Is this for me?  Can I take a break and be ok with it? Can I change the direction of this?

I will let you know.

 

 

Kbaumlier is featured in The Artist’s Library – A Field Guide

Posted on by Kbaumlier

A couple of years ago I participated in a project called the Library as Incubator Project.  Over 100 artists were asked to answer the question, “What does the phrase ‘library as incubator’ mean to you?”  I sent in a statement about my love of libraries and their role in my making process.

The cofounders and editors of the project, Erinn Batykefer and Laura Damon-Moore continued with the project and created a book that features some of the artist stories that they collected in order to suggest new ways that others can use the library to increase productivity, inspire new work, and support a creative life.

I am so honored to be in this book, and to have my writing and images featured in Chapter 3 – Using the Library for Creative Research.  What is so cool is that there are exercises with my section – that are meant for the reader to try. (Or I might just try them for a new side project I want to start.)

Here is the official description of the book from the book website:

“Creativity, like information, is free to everyone who steps into a library. An offshoot of the Library as Incubator Project, The Artist’s Library offers that an artist is any person who uses creative tools to make new things, and provides the guidance and resources to make libraries come alive as spaces for art-making and cultural engagement. The book draws attention to the physical and digital collections and resources that may be of particular use to artists and writers, provides ideas for art education opportunities within libraries, and offers practical how-tos for artists and libraries alike. From the crafty (pop-up books) to the community-minded (library galleries); the documentary (photo projects) to the technically complex (“listening” to libraries via Dewey decimal frequencies), the case studies included in the book feature artists, writers, performers, and libraries that embody the “library as incubator” spirit.”

Take a peek at the writing or exercise page below:  

photo (2)     photo (1)

Image Source and Links:

The Artist’s Library – A Field Guide – Coffee House Press

Youtube Video of the authors – The authors talk about libraries and artists

The Artist’s Library on Amazon

 

 

 

Mini Free Libraries – in NYC Phone Booths

Mini Free Libraries – in NYC Phone Booths

Posted on by Kbaumlier

When is the last time you used a phone booth?  Or gone to the library?

The Department of Urban Betterment (DUB) was created by a group of creative individuals who wanted to explore the potential of design to improve the urban experience.  Their mission is to inspire the community to take ownership of their surroundings and improve them.

One project made by DUB was a  mini-library that was created inside of an unused phone booth in New York City.  Designed by architect John Lock, the library shelves were detachable, and the library fit tightly inside of a phone booth.   In its first installation, the books were gone within 6 days.

Similar to the Little Free Libraries created by residents in cities across the country, the phone booth library was intended to be a book-sharing system for anyone who came by.  Take a book, leave a book is the general idea.  For the Phone booth library, all the books were donated by local residents and the plywood was milled by Kontraptionist.  You can read more about the project on dubnewyork.org or gracefulspoon.com.
Image Source and Links:

http://dubnewyork.org

http://gracefulspoon.com/blog