The Wright Brothers

Piece for the History of the World show about the Wright brothers as kids, and finally got to use the Guillow's Jetstream Glider I've had tacked to my wall for three years.  These things are the best!  I used to get these instead of candy at our local drug store on our way back from church, and play with my big brother.  Thought it made a nice parallel with Orville and Wilbur who were inspired by a toy helicopter as kids.  As well as amazing - the glider pioneered somewhere around 500 BC,  powered manned flight pioneered in 1903 - a rather large time period of improvement, and yet 50 years after Kittyhawk we were testing the edge of space and traveling at supersonic speeds.

Studies in Orbs and Years for the "History of the World" Show

The year was "1953", suburbia was sprawling, and baseball fields were shrinking to back yards, and balls were slowly evolving "wiffles" . . .

The year was 200 - or rather two hundred years since Earth collided with another planetary body, blowing it to smithereens (which would eventually become the moon), and then began it's re-coagulation into the orb we all call home.  Fireworks were millions of years in the future but I thought it would be nice to commemorate the "Bicentennial" of this collection of rock, molten rock, rock ice, and bits of water.  Why Legos?  Well, it was just a planetary toddler: innocent, but constructive in it's own growth.

Side note: we got our window vinyl!  Designed as a wacky grid by Owen Sherwood and myself, and photographed by Caroline Corrigan, Education + Exhibitions Manager up at the Art Center.  Thanks, Caroline!

History of the World - How to install a *#&@!% in 6 easy steps!

 1. Insall something on your face.  See how you like it.

 2. Get Matt Shropshire to help you (background).  He's super, super helpful.  Optional - do the show with an old buddy (Owen Sherwood, foreground).  Can your old buddy do a pensive look like this?  If not, cut him out of your life.  If he can, have him do half the work.  What a buddy!

 3. Tchotchka.  You need it.  You're not all that creative, so the crap you collect in your studio? Use it.  Again, you're not that creative, and this makes you look smart and sophisticated.  The best places to look are Wal-Mart and the crawlspace under someone else's house.

 4.  Install giant drawings on the wall of the gallery.  This ensures a memorable show: at least by the guy using the 15 gallons of matte white to cover them up when the next show goes up.  He'll go to his grave saying - "It took me eight coats to cover up that guy's painting, and he had no hope whatsoever of selling it.  What an idiot." Zang!  He'll remember you for life!

 5.  Spread crap all over the place while you're doing it.  During the installation, give the space that care-free "there might just be paint rags in this bag, but it could be an unfinished sandwich from Monday" vibe.  This is imperative.  AND - on day five, chicken curry smells like watermelon.  Fantastic.  You're almost there.

6.  Right by the front window, place a hand drawn icon featuring a famous internet cat.  I chose Maru (thanks Courtney).  While most people feign interest in politics, the Arab Spring, health care . . . at their core, they just want cat videos, and preferably of cats who, like Maru, are bad at spacial relationships.  Famous cats are the currency of the new millenium.    Draw those folks in.  This also works if you own a pet store.

In conclusion - feel free to do your own twist!  Play jazz!  Remember, we created the exact history of the world in a gallery.  You may want do something different, and lesser!  Good luck.


PS - I'm super proud of the work Owen and I did - and thanks to Caroline Corrigan, Amy Williams and Matt Shropshire at the Arts Center in Troy.  Even with the long days, and no sleep, it was fanti-billy-tastic, and It'd be great to see as many folks as possible at the reception on April 29th!