Things are now going smoothly maybe too smoothly. All the work I did this summer is paying off.
Copy of SITE Gallery- Sculpture Month Houston - Installing the work#2
SITE Gallery- Sculpture Month Houston - Building the support system
Finally, I feel like I can make some progress. Step one is to make a structure that I can hang my sculptures from. The gallery owners are trying to preserve the space in its original condition, and ask the artists to deface the silo as little as possible when installing our work. Normally I use acrylic hangers that I designed to hold the pieces. Each bracket takes four anchors. I feel like that is too much destruction to the silo. Instead, I decide to buy some black 14 gauge wire fencing, 20 feet X 36”. The silo funnel has metal bands tack welded to it. The middle metal band is 31” from the wall. I cut the fencing in 31” pieces. I cut one end in a concave shape and the other end convex. The convex end will rest on top of the metal band and the concave end will be supported by two screws in the cinderblock wall. This is 19‘ high, and I feel pretty good that my screw holes will only be minimally defacing the silo.
Close up of support system
The moment I got off the scissor lift and looked up at my support system, I realized I had made a big mistake. I should have painted them white. The black stood out too much on the white walls. I could not sleep that night trying to decide if I should repaint them... It was not easy, but I spent the next half day painting the system 19’ in the air white.
I think it was worth it, the support system is much less intrusive.
I hung from the support system 8 fishing tackle swivels with 25 lb filament attached to each swivel. Four of the swivels are 36” apart 18” from the wall. At these distances the pieces will not touch each other or the wall. Everything should move independently. These are for the big pieces. The other swivels are for smaller pieces and are spaced randomly. I am guesstimating where I want these. Tomorrow I will start hanging work.
Packing the hanging pieces for transporting to the silos.
Last week I spent everyday packing and boxing the pieces I made this summer. I needed boxes they could hang in. Regular wardrobe boxes are not wide enough, so I made my own wardrobe style boxes to transport the sculpture pieces. I took two 30” X 30” X 30” boxes, stacked them and taped them to make them 78” tall.
Then I wrapped each element of each piece in thin plastic dry cleaning bags and kitchen zip lock bags. I don’t want any thing getting tangled. Each little section is in its own plastic cocoon.
Each small element bagged separately making bouquet of bee cocoons
Making my own wardrobe style boxes.
My pieces hang from the top of the boxes. I needed something to support the top of the box. Southland hardware yard sticks were the cheapest thing I could find. I think they will work.
My sculpture wardrobe boxes have doors.
The pieces in bags make awesome amnion shadows
7 boxes ready to go.
Sculpture Month Houston - my silo
View from inside looking out.
Looking north through another entrance.
The blank walls and openings
Can you imagine how many tons of rice dropped through this funnel? The gallery lighting is attached to the mouth. It is right in the center of the space. I am not sure I like the central placement.
Day two - view from the silo to the east.
Day 2- the scaffold and installers arrived, but the safety pins did not. Unfortunately, the funnel, or shoot hanging down in the middle of the space, is very awkward
Day 3- scaffold-
After sleeping on it, I am going to return the scaffold and rent a scissor lift. An awkward 3 level scaffold is just not safe enough for me.
Lighting- I was able to play with the lighting that is installed; it is too central for my piece. Luckily I bought a clamp on fixture with a twenty-five foot cord and ran it around the space to a place I think I like. I won’t know until some work is up. It does look hopeful.
Awkward scaffold and grain shoot
Lighting from the side.
The lighting in the center was not my preference. Lucky for me I happen to have a clamp light fixture which is consistent with the gallery lighting. My fixture has a 25’ cord and there is a place to clamp it right where I think I will like it. I have temporarily wired it in place. I can test it once I get my work delivered.