Airborne Art Installation, Norfolk, VA

On April 25th, I took the dogs to downtown Norfolk to participate in an art installation, Airborne by Rafael Lozano-Hemmer. This was an interactive installation projected onto the wall of a parking garage; and it turned that wall into a shadow play that changed as we moved. As we moved, computerized monitors mapped our shadows into video projections of bellowing smoke. The smoke, in turn, rearranged projected poetry and turned it into vanishing clouds of text. I thought this would be a great venue for Sammy's dog dancing. In the end, PG joined us, too. You can watch a video of us here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fv8wC6f0fes

 All of the poems were about shadows or light. One of the poems from the wall, that were also read aloud as they vanished:

$$$Expensive Magic$$$

By Cedar Sigo

            I stumble down        around torn peaks

                          “Fit the right suit

                                                      to trick them all.”

                                         the questions fall

                                   around allure. Poems floated

                           from the hearth

                                                sparks

                                 out the mouth. I am wound up, bored

we are only strangers on our way

the hotel                turned slender to mind

                now written out (sloppy)

                                                to music

                dark brown wood

                                 gold mirrors

                             (tight)

                                 The drinking songs from upper stories

drag us to sleep                 a bend in the basement wall

             unexplained

                              scorched. pulling on clean clothes

                  I let myself out

                                                              walk up

                                                                       underground

                                        to a far off hill

                                                             smoke on top

“The orchestra of the

                           immense magnified

       inner life

                   is now prodigious.”

the strings sound down

             make the surface of a mirror

                                                    & hang the head

                           my forbidden past

                                        Rose & Silk

           the wine is young

                                  The brooks still hum

                                                               with melted snow

This was a fun time for us in downtown Norfolk!
Wish you were here,
Joyce
Sammy & PG