Tag: public art

The Cuddly – A Large Teddy Bear Out in Public

The Cuddly – A Large Teddy Bear Out in Public

Posted on by Kbaumlier

In Warsaw Poland, there is a large number of historic public monuments that recognize past events of the last century.  Some of the monuments recognize wartime experiences, while others bring up social and political issues.

Artist Iza Rtukowska of the Forms and Shapes Foundation decided to create a sculpture that could be placed near Polish monuments, in order to “denunk them” and encourage interaction and dialogue.  Her work The Cuddly is a giant teddy bear that has been placed near monuments and other public places, and invites others to interact and play in its presence.

The huge teddy bear is made of fabric and foam, and has been placed in various locations in Poland, and is scheduled to be placed in other locations.  You can see Video of the making of the piece, and read more about the project on The The Forms and Shapes Foundation Website.

Links:

The Forms and Shapes Foundation

Video of the making of The Cuddly

 

Ballroom Luminoso: Chandeliers made of Recycled Bike Parts and LEDs

Ballroom Luminoso: Chandeliers made of Recycled Bike Parts and LEDs

Posted on by Kbaumlier

In Cleveland, where I last lived, there were several bridge underpasses that were dark and uninviting, that I always tried to avoid at night, since they were dark and seemed unsafe.  They also tended to be dirty, and had puddles and mud underneath.  I recently read about a public art project that was not this year in San Antonio, Texas that transformed an underpass area with unique color changing chandeliers.

Ballroom Luminoso is a series of six globes, each of which is 48” in diameter, that are made of a custom-designed LED light fixture, upcycled bike parts, and steel.  The piece uses shadows and colored light to transform the underpass space into a dramatic shadow space.  The images cast iclude repeating circles and sprockets and gears, and the chandeliers transform an ordinary underpass into a unique colorful space filled with light and shape.

The project references the area’s past, present, and future and imagery that includes the community’s agricultural history, strong Hispanic heritage, and growing environmental movement are included in each piece.   The medallions are a play on the iconography of La Loteria (a board game with cards), which has become a icon of Hispanic culture. Utilizing traditional symbols like La Escalera (the Ladder), La Rosa (the Rose), and La Sandía (the Watermelon) in the work, the piece alludes to the neighborhood’s farming roots and horticultural achievements. Each character playfully rides a bike acting as a metaphor for the neighborhood’s environmental progress, its concurrent eco-restoration projects, and its developing cycling culture.

I was looking at some websites with my niece, and her and I were both drawn to this piece, which can be seen at the intersection of Theo and Malone with I-35 in San Antonio.  The artists behind the work Joe O’Connell and Blessing Hancock have done other interesting public art pieces, and you can check out Ballroom Luminosos and their other works on their site.

 

Image Source:
http://www.jbpublicart.com/portfolio/ballroom_luminoso

Links:
 

http://www.jbpublicart.com/portfolio/ballroom_luminoso

 

Evol: Miniature Apartment Building Street Art

Evol: Miniature Apartment Building Street Art

Posted on by Kbaumlier

Ever walk down the street and see a small apartment building on the street? German artist Evol makes “apartment art “ which is made by by building structures out of lockboxes or cardboard, or working directly on a wall.  He then uses paint and stencils to make structures that look exactly like prefab apartment buildings.   He will draw in details such as balconies and satellite dishes which make it look realistic.

The artist, who lives and works in Berlin, grew up in a German suburb, and sees the pieces as being portraits of the area that he grew up in.  Many of the buildings were not renovated, and were places that showed a visible history of the residents, and the artist says that they “told stories of the people who lived there.”

Most street art is 2d, so these 3d structures stand out in terms of being public art.  You can see more images of his work on his website at http://www.evoltaste.com/

It is hard to see in pictures what the pieces are – since they look so realistic.

Image Source:
http://www.evoltaste.com/

 

Links:

http://www.evoltaste.com/

 

Words in Motion: Poetry and Animation on the London Underground

Words in Motion: Poetry and Animation on the London Underground

Posted on by Kbaumlier

January can be a wet, cold, and grey month for people living in London.  The group Smile For London decided to brighten up the London Underground with poetry and animation.  The group asked a selection of poets and writers (which includes both famous and amateur) to contribute writings of up to 40 words  that would be developed into animations  that would  play on the platform screens across the London Underground.

Some of the poems are poets which include Jarvis Cocker, Murray Lachlan Young and Benjamin Zephaniah.  The imagery for the animation was done by illustrators, artists, animators and filmmakers including Macolm Garrett, Andy Rementer and Why Not Associates.

Forty of the Words in Motion films were created.  Each piece is twenty seconds long and combines a voiceover, text, and imagery.

The Word in Motion project  aims to spark an interest in poetry and writing as well and also to amuse and visually inspire the individuals who see the pieces.  The pieces are no longer running in London, but you can see all of the pieces on a the Word in Motion Vimeo page.  It might just brighten your day.

Image Source:
Word in Motion Pieces on Vimeo

 

Links:

Word in Motion Pieces on Vimeo