Site Specific Install "Termitaria"

Termitaria Install

On a hot summer day my girlfriend and I decided to go to the Mentor Marina Park to set up a temporary site specific install. It was a hot day with high humidity and little breeze. Neither one of us were looking forward to the mile or so hike down the dirt trail to the beach which would have to be traversed with multiple pieces of art in hand. Luckily I had the "war cart" with me. The "war cart" is a large wagon with wooden sides, thick rubber wheels, and a sleek red steel body which is specifically made for yard work. I borrowed it from my parents for our excursion. 

With my art pieces loaded into the "war cart", lifting the whole load into my girlfriend's minivan proved to be a difficult task. Even with a makeshift ramp, pushing the cart into the back of the minivan was arduous. More difficult though, was getting the "war cart" down the steep slope at the end of the trail which empties out onto the beach. We had to transport each piece individually down the slope to the beach because I feared that if I were to take the "war car" down the treacherous slope, it would either careen out of control or jack knife spilling all its contents into the adjoining woods. In all, I must have made at least eight trips up and down as I safely transported piece after piece of what was about to become a site specific install. 

Though already sweaty, I excitedly got to work setting up my pieces. Normally there are relatively few people at this beach, but on this day, there were many boats anchored along the shoreline. Some people were swimming, some were suntanning, while others casually walked up and down the beach. As I was setting up my install, people would come by and ask me what I was doing. Upon learning that I was creating art, people were enthused and pleased to be witnessing something that is a bit out of the norm for a hot summer day at the beach. Generally, people seem to really enjoy art and watching artists create their works when it is in a setting that they can relate to. 

The highlight of the day though, came when two kids came up to my install and, as kids are prone to do, got real close and examined it as if it were some new discovery being viewed by fresh eyes for the very first time.  Kids are always the best viewers when it comes to art, for they have yet to be prejudiced by adult concerns of beauty, value, and taste. Kids enjoy and explore whereas adults always seem to want to know what it means or want to know what and why am I doing what I am doing. 

Anyway, here are some pictures of the days install. Enjoy.

The above three pictures are of my first install. My goal was to create a linear install that could be juxtaposed against the two differing backgrounds. The lake and the woods. 

The above two pictures are an example of tighter grouping. Hopefully, the more spire pieces I create the more elaborate the installs will become. 

The above two pictures are examples of a random type install. I was hoping to have more time to play around with this install and various other types of configurations. Unfortunately though, rain clouds started rolling in and we barely made it back to the minivan in time.

Two kids enthralled with my install.

The above photo was from a smaller test install I did earlier in the year in my mom's garden. Summer 2012.