Tuesday, September 7, 2010

FIGMENT Art Festival 2010 on Governors Island

"Temple of Wonder" by Jen Upchurch, Douglas Hart and Bryan Cates
Designed in the shape of a three-dimensional star looking up to the sky, Temple Of Wonder is intended as a place of exploration, contemplation, reflection, and personal expression. Visitors are encouraged to walk through and sit down at its center, and interact with the temple’s structure by leaving contributions of art, messages, and other ephemera for public viewing on its wooden walls. Temple of Wonder asks the audience to respond to the questions ‘What does the future hold for us?’ and ‘What is it like to be in your own star?’ Temple of Wonder inspires visitors to interact with each other and marvel, be curious – be a star in their own way. As participants leave the temple, their silhouettes appear to leak from the corner of the eye like their own shining star. Following its installation on the island, the interactive elements of the project will transfer from the artists to the visitors who will react to, transform, and change the space in a more personal way.

"Process" by Travis Mong
580 interlocking pieces that each spin freely on their own axis, in colors that are visually pleasing and stunning at the same time. A visitor, or the wind for that matter, can spin one to all pieces of Process, transforming the piece at will to seemingly infinite possibilities. The visitor thus creates an abstract work of art – a color field. Process is a three dimensional piece that is viewed in a perceived two dimensional perspective. It exists between the tangible 3D object and the representational and illusionistic space of a painting. Much like our own cognitive process it embodies both perceived truth and tangible knowledge. It represents and conveys a shared experience the world over.
"1000 Pieces" by Animus Art Collective
The installation of 1000 Pieces – essentially a gazebo – is initially a simple rectangular wooden structure with seating around the perimeter and a roof atop four posts. Running up the height of the vertical posts are pieces of notched plywood. Inside the gazebo, on shelves mounted onto the posts, are stacks of square plywood pieces, also notched. The artwork evolves throughout the summer as passers-by become participants, taking a few pieces off the shelves and connecting them to the structure. Thus, a simple wooden gazebo will appear to be blossoming into color during the summer months. ANIMUS proposes that workshops be held and led by their members in two New York City public schools. The sculptures created by the students will be fastened on top of the structure to serve as the ‘crown’ and ‘chandelier’ of the gazebo. 1000 Pieces will create an environment that instigates a dynamic relationship between the participant and the object, and between the participants themselves.

Video from the 2009 Figment Art Festival
These are a few of the interactive artworks on exhibit on Governor's Island as part of FIGMENT NYC Art Festival, an annual celebration of participatory art and culture. The event features an abundance of creativity and passion, challenging artists and communities to find ways to create, share, think and dream. (Video and Captions from Figment Project)

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