http://www.creativetime.org/programs/archive/2007/one_day/The official public art chance of a lifetime for less experienced artists. For the cost of a little paint and one day of your life, seven artists transformed 1970’s bus shelters on the main street of one of the most liberal towns in America, Madison, Wisconsin. Painted on July 1, the shelters will be demolished starting on July 29, 2007.
Darryl Jensen and Craig Grabhorn
Some of the artists created middle of the road projects to further their credentials for public art commissions. You can tell because they “stayed within the lines”. Two artists transformed the shelter: Nina Bednarsky with a line of tall grass and Craig Grabhorn with a gentle Tim Burton house of horrors.
Nina Bednarsky
Psychologically and literally, “staying within the line” is part of the contemporary practice of every specialist constructing our cities, but artists have a responsibility to mess up the borders. Many times the artistic instincts of a 5 year old are better than a 12 year old.
Craig Grabhorn
Destination was organized by artist Melanie Kehoss. (All photos by Kehoss) Kehoss did try something I had not seen before. She set up phone numbers so that on site cell phone users could call and listen to the artist’s explanation of the work. If any one knows of other cell phone use with voice or text, please let me know.
See the CONTINUED text for more information on using cell phones from Madison and Creative Times’ 2007 New York City project.
From Karin Wolf, Arts Program Administrator
Madison Arts Commission
“Destination” the artists recorded their statements on the City’s voicemail system and passerby’s could phone-in to hear their statements and leave a message for the artist (a version of the comment book). It’s a bit grittier than guide-by-cell, but it matches the fresh, raw, artwork.
The dial-in for didactic info concept came to me as a sort of derivation of a guide-by-phone system, which I have heard is common in Europe. It is also done here in the US, often for historic walking tours. Check out Guide-by-Cell
David Asheim
Guide by Cell Inc.
dave@guidebycell.com
(415) 297-6677
guidebycell.com
From Ethan Andrews at Creative Time, NYC
At Creative Time and we just wrapped up a project that involved an informational cell phone call-in component very much like the one used in “Destination”. In May 2007, Creative Time marked NYC’s creative history by installing plaques at 33 sites that inspired us over the past three decades. Click here for ONE DAY audio
Technology was provided by
Antenna Audio
North America Head Office
Sausalito, CA 94966
1 415 332 4862
inquiry@antennaaudio.com
Used on T-Mobile Smartphone for the Munster Sculpture Project in 2007
Download to ipods on the Boston Freedom Trail in 2007 (Available to telephone users of iphone or other integrated mpg3 players and phones) $12 dollar charge.
Download the Chicago’s Millenium Park Audio Tour as a sample.
From Spring 2006 Newsletter
Cell phone providers and platforms are constantly evolving,and it can be a challenge to cost-effectively produce and maintain a cell phone tour, especially if it’s being offered for free. Additionally, the audio quality is inferior to that of MP3 devices, so visitors tend to spend less time on a cell phone tour than on a standard audio tour. As with everything
else, a successful tour is not just about the technology – it’s about the technology, the production, the service, and all the other facets that create an effective experience.
Overall, we view cell phone tours as one piece of what we like to call the ‘interpretation smorgasbord’ – a choice of interpretation options tailored to the specific tastes and needs of different demographics. At one end, a visitor will choose to experience an exhibit on his/her own with no aids at all. At the other is a gala dinner in the great hall and a personal candle-lit tour with the Director. In between these two extremes lie audio tours, docent tours, tours you can download and listen to on your iPod®, and cell phone tours, not forgetting that most age-old option of them all – the paper map!
Another Cell Phone System
Talking Street