War Horse

Disney, dream on! This is part of a dance show where the horse is a giant puppet that is part of the show.

As far as I am concerned, this is gorgeously made and far superior to anything found in the Lion King.

Car Art

Is it a car? Or rolling sculpture? I find it amusing when folks adorn their cars with items. This is not one of the best in our area, but given time, it just might materialize into something quite interesting.

Is this art?

Is it art? Or just plain cruel? 

I hope there aren't any fish in here. If there were, they're gone now!

Maybe the treasure chest went down the drain, too....

City of Smoke

These photos came from a website that is full of images taken over a period of time, thus giving them a smoky feel. I find them beautiful, yet quite a bit haunting. If they were in color, they wouldn't feel the same. These images have an old, long past quality to them. They certainly don't make me smile while I am looking at them. Quite thought provoking....

Dubai's Rotating Skyscraper

Four years ago, architect David Fisher was admiring the view from a friend's New York City apartment. "My friend said, 'Look at this view!' And I thought, Why can't we rotate the entire building so everybody can see?"

Construction begins soon in Dubai. This picture is a mock up of the building and how it will look as it rotates. There are 200 units on 80 floors, that will all have great views as the floors complete the 360 degree rotation. 

Wind turbines and solar cells positioned between each floor should provide enough electricity to power the entire building, and possibly others nearby. "This is not just a tower," says Fisher, "it is a green power plant."

Apartments in the Dynamic Tower range from $3 million to $30 million. There are over 1,100 people on the waiting list. However only 200 will be able to use the drive-in elevator that allows residents to park right outside their front doors. Conjures up interesting images about taking a spin in your sports car, doesn't it?

Moving Art!

These kinetic sculptures are constructed by Andrew Carson from Washington state. He says his interest is not in metal itself, but in what it can become if assisted by the wind, water, or the environment. All of the materials used in the installations are intricately cut, forged, hammered, and patinated by hand. He designs each piece to fit into the environment it is going to be placed in.

There is a mesmerizing video showing pieces displayed in Vail, Colorado in action. They are not these pieces, but better. Click here to see them.

Shark Fin Car

I don't know anything about this car, but it is pretty awesome, if you ask me. 

Every year the rolling sculpture show in downtown Ann Arbor is fun way to spend a few hours. Unfortunately you don't see things of this magnitude, but maybe in the future....

If anyone knows about this car, please let me know as I'd like to give them credit for this masterful piece.

BIG...FAST...SLIPPERS!

This may be even more unusual than the cupcake cars. Only because they are a matching pair.

I don't know much about them. But under my definition, they do qualify as public art. And MOVING public art at that!

Theo Jansen

This is an picture of Theo Jansen standing in front of one of his works of art. The piece on the bottom shows his walking creatures. They are made from recycled electrical wiring from the Netherlands. 

I had the opportunity to hear him speak today in Ann Arbor. Watching his pieces move is like watching a prehistorical animal move. Or how you would imagine it would have moved. It is mechanical yet graceful in an almost unmeasurable way. 

Here is his website. This video explains how his work is made and functions. It is amazing to watch. Here is a shorter version just showing the movement. And here, another piece that is covered, as shown in the top photo. 

Amazing work! Love it!

Graffiti vacation ends in arrests

These photos are examples of graffiti done by Jim Clay Harper (Ether) and Danielle Bremner (Dani). They toured Europe this summer tagging public property along the way. They left their mark in London, Spain, Paris, Frankfurt, Hamburg and other places they visited including New York City.

They caused thousands of dollars of damage and where arrested when they arrived back in the states. Due to the high value of the amount of damage, they are being charged with felonies and could spend up to seven years in jail. 

The charges for the alleged paint spree are being pressed in New York City. The NY authorities are working with European authorities to determine if more charges will be pressed overseas as well. Yikes!

Looks like this couple should have stuck to canvas' that they had permission to paint on. Destroying public property or property owned by others should never be permitted. As much as I enjoy well done graffiti, is is ruined for me when it is done without consent. Shame! 

Fish Bicycle

When I found this, there was no information about it. Hence, I am unable to credit the artist or cyclist or both. But I liked it enough that I wanted to share it anyway. 

When I googled it, I found lots of Fisher Bikes and variations of the saying "A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle." The saying is generally attributed to Gloria Steinem, but in reality is unsubstantiated. In any case, the search was almost as fun as the photos.

I also found a giant fish bike in motion with a few other smaller fish in tow. This is an excellent way to spend 52 seconds of your life. Click here!

Ann Arbor Summer Festival

It's that time of the year again! 

Ann Arbor comes alive at night for the 25th season of the Ann Arbor Summer Festival! 

Free music! Free movies! The outdoor festival begins June 13 th and ends on July 6th. The trend each year is to introduce free family friendly outdoor entertainment. This year Dream Engine is coming to enchant us all! They will be preforming outdoors June 25th through the 28th at evening performances. There are two shows one called Conedancers and the other is Heliosphere. It is sure to be a favorite among kids of all ages! 

Other options include bands and movies at dusk on the giant inflatable movie screen. There is also various performing artists playing in the Power Center which is adjacent to the festival location. The following link will connect you to all kinds of free and some paid options. Check it out!

And don't forget to support your local folks by purchasing food and beverages while at the festival. Don't forget that it is a"free" event, but it won't stay that way if you don't make donations and purchases. So, go have fun and keep this Ann Arbor treasure free!

These pictures are NOT animated...

...your eyes are making them move. 

To test this, stare at one spot in each picture for a few seconds and everything will stop moving; or look at the black center of each circle in the first picture and it will stop moving; but when you move your eyes to the next black center, the previous one will move after you take you eyes away from it.

Kind of fun!

A different sort of "public art"

I received an email with pictures of these cats stating that people have paid up to $15,000 to have their cats "painted". A quick check at snopes and this is indeed an urban legend. (These are photoshopped pictures of cats). However, I have to admit, that they are pretty nicely done and although they aren't "public" since they can't move around to be seen. I figured what the heck, they are still nice to look at. My favorites are the fish (very nice) and Charlie (clever)!

Just what is Festifools?

This is a kitty puppet that was showcased at the Festifools 2008 parade in Ann Arbor. Festifools debuted on April Fools Day 2007 and in one short year has grown into a huge celebration of puppet creation for the public! This video shows clips from Millennium Park in Chicago and the second half is from Festifools 2008. For more on this event see the bottom of this blog.

Muffin Cars on the loose!

This photo shows an electric muffin vehicle. A what? Yep. A car shaped like a muffin!

It was originally introduced at the yearly Burning Man event in 2004. More recently it showed up at the third annual Maker Faire at the San Mateo Event Center and Expo center. Over 65,000 people came to the event that showcases a gathering of folks from all walks of life who blend science, technology, craft and art to make things goofy and grand. Sounds like an event after my heart!

The above link takes you to brief interviews with some of the items that were showcased, including the muffin maker who is listed in fourth position as Acme Muffineering. How can you resist?

Pakistani Painted Truck Art

In Pakistan, art is not necessarily confined to galleries; it is

also found on the road. All around Pakistan you will find brightly colored and decorated trucks. They are covered with paintings, ornaments, reflectors, woodcarvings, and other decorations, which become the most recognizable features of the county. They are the world famous "art trucks". 

Almost every single truck in the country is it's own masterpiece. They provide a moving canvas for the artists, who express their feelings through the medium of art and splendor of colors. The cost for this transition to the truck owner can be as much as a third of the total truck cost. All across Pakistan, this folk art has turned village lanes, city streets and long-distance highways into a national gallery.

A City of Foam

These are images from an advertisement released by Sony called Foam City. The video shows the wall of foam being released and traveling down this area. It's short and fun to watch!