Installation Work
Art Gym Denver: Chelsea Gilmore, “Hiraeth”
My second time working with Chelsea, after her installation and residency at the Firehouse. Unlike the Firehouse exhibit, myself and the Art Gym team were very hands-on for the planning and execution of this piece. Using Art Gym’s scissor lift, we built and installed a suspension grid for the work.
Mixed-media artist Chelsea Gilmore delves into the depths of a bittersweet feeling. Using her grandmother’s salvaged lace and 1960s army parachutes from her father’s time as a soldier; the piece uniquely blends delicacy and strength. By weaving together history and emotion, this site-specific installation meets viewers at eye level, inviting them to pause and reflect.
AGD for Month of Photography: “Sufficiently Advanced”
Art Gym’s gallery has a landlord-enforced “no holes in the walls” policy, which is an excellent exercise in problem-solving. For this exhibit, I built two lightweight wooden “dummy wall” sections to display Jay Gould’s work. I additionally built the display tables for the accordion book, from pieces I found in the basement and the hairpin legs. I’m also very proud of integrating the zoetrope from Denver-based Ryterski Wonders.
Titled after Arthur C. Clarke’s Third Law - “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic” – our Month of Photography exhibit explores the adage that complex technical ideas can feel supernatural. Photography itself has long been at the forefront of technical advancement in the arts and sciences, and this exhibit presents work by two photographers working in analog or traditional darkroom methods in such a way that together they bridge ideas of magic and science through artistry and creative expression.
FAC Example 1 - Samantha Simpson “Saga” series
Three watercolor + pen and ink drawings on heavy rag paper, 4ft x 8ft each.
These works were shipped to us in a tight roll and needed to be laid flat for a week before exhibition. Because of the lack of space in the Firehouse building, I did that at home. I set up tables with protective mylar over the works and used books for weight, after discussing with Sam whether she was comfortable with that plan. I don’t really advertise that I did that, because it feels so unprofessional, but it didn’t bother Sam at all, and there just wasn’t any other way we could show the work without greater risk of damage. It really only worked because I was alone at home for that week; I don’t have kids or dogs and my husband was traveling. They were exhibited with binder clips (and protective papers) plus push-tack pins overlapping their side and bottom edges. This was only the second show I’ve ever planned and I’m sharing it because it was a real learning experience. *This is where I reference that we (subsequently) sometimes received submissions of amazing work that our space could not accommodate.
From the Guide: Along the east wall in the gallery all three of Samantha Simpson’s “Saga” series are exhibited together for the first time. The mixed-media watercolors are painted on large rolls of paper, each 8-foot section tells a chapter in a story, of families of frogs navigating war: “predators and prey and unnatural actors who respond to and shape the environment.” Inspired by Japanese printmaking and 19th century serial storytelling, the series of three works embody visual art’s ability to illustrate how small details combine with larger compositional arcs to create a whole that is more than the sum of its parts. These works are shown with the support of a grant from Temple University.
Example 2- Jen Rose
The Firehouse is pleased to present a solo exhibit consisting of one, center-hung sculptural installation by Dallas, Texas-based artist Jen Rose. Made of 1,250 forms, it’s divided into five colors that progress through a value scale from high to low color saturation. Designed as an inviting experience that mimics an underwater environment with darkened gray gallery walls and featuring a bespoke musical accompaniment.
We did not ship this: I drove to Dallas, Texas and picked it up, and Jen drove to Longmont for deinstall. In order to install, we had to locate the support beams in our ceiling, remove the sound dampening panels, and install in stages. Uppermost was the audio box with speakers, laptop and control board, second the screens that suspended each of the sections of zooid objects - they appear as two pieces but were actually four. The full installation took 3 days, (mostly to allow for certainty in the strength of our fasteners) and I worked with our gallery assistant Grace Gutierrez and part-time web designer + all-around helper, Connor Magyar. The design of the work was ingenious, featuring turnbuckles in the vertical wiring to guarantee the mesh screens were level, even if the ceiling was not. Additionally, in placing the rows of hanging zooids, I decided to arrange them so that they didn’t overlap, to prevent tangles during the course of the exhibit, since people were encouraged to gently touch them and hear them chime. When Jen arrived to deinstall she was thrilled with it and said she was impressed that the overall structure still “worked” visually; she herself had not been able to manage the trick.
The exhibit also featured a grid of porcelain tentacles - the photo leans, the install did not!
Example 3- Saxon Martinez
Saxon Martinez installs a 10-ft high wall that redefines the physical gallery space, though he leaves the underlying beams and panels exposed to reveal his reflection and research of his Latinx heritage. Drawn from the oldest civilization in Mesoamerica, Olmec symbols are brought forward in time with modern materials that savor and emphasize their monumental history.
Saxon’s previous installations of this work presented the piece as something of a monolith (first image, @ Carbondale Arts). In discussing the exhibition with our Director, I knew that we couldn’t install a wall in the space because we had a concert series booked with Travis from the Future Arts Foundation (Bluebird Music Festival). My suggestion to Saxon was that we angle the wall, and I sent him (second image) a simple schematic. His solution to break it into pieces was unexpected, but fantastic because it allowed for viewing the reverse of each panel. I learned that I should and could make clearer schematics, and also that it’s better to communicate the logic behind your installation needs than just to give instructions, because 1. as the artist he was pleased with his own change in installation plan, 2. it was still a striking installation/work, and 3. we were able to host our concert(s). I just wish I’d had time to adjust the language in the exhibit description / press release.
In the same exhibit: Pam Rogers’ organic bundles and floor sculpture, made and collected from seasonal local materials in Denver needed a discussion about how they would age over time within the space. She felt that their wilting would be part of the work, but we were prepared to refresh certain parts if necessary.
Example 4- Justin Favela
The Firehouse Art Center is celebrating this holiday season by bringing artist Justin Favela to Longmont! Using his signature piñata style, the gallery will be transformed into a large nativity scene inspired by traditional Mexican constructions, and in particular his own grandmother’s creative scenes. The exhibit will be produced using simple materials such as tissue paper and cardboard, and will be created over the course of four days, from November 22-25. We’re inviting local volunteers to complete the process based on Favela’s blueprint - adding their own touches along the way.
Justin’s exhibit installed in November of 2019 - after our previous Director left and before Elaine was hired. At the time, I was the Firehouse’s only employee besides Connor (our part-time web designer and all-around volunteer). And so I managed the installation and all accompanying programming and regular operations etc. at the same time. Justin arrived with his abuela, and I arranged for their lodging with Joan Peck, who was a city council member at the time but is now the Mayor. Install was scheduled for 4 days, with a public volunteer signup sheet, and a team of assistants Justin knew from his previous Denver installs. Additionally, the Firehouse Board of Directors was incredibly supportive and over 50% of them volunteered hours to help. Justin completed the north star (Las Vegas style) the nacimiento structure with the manger and central cast of characters, and then we integrated filling the exhibit with contributed figures made by participants in the Spark program, the Art of Possibility program (for adults with developmental disabilities) and the City’s youth leadership after-school program for middle schoolers. There were also a few craft nights in December for anyone to attend and contribute.
This exhibit was much more expensive than anticipated: Justin had not yet finalized his color scheme when we were buying supplies, and so we bought tissue paper in a full rainbow and I think they are still in a stack at the Firehouse. He also requested that I source a massive amount of cardboard, which came from Woodley’s warehouse - and then we didn’t use most of it because we discovered craft paper was a better base support in our space. The extension cord for the christmas lights is hidden underneath the tissue paper running along the longest wall.
Example 5- Lynn Cazabon
Using expired black and white photographic paper and lengthy solar exposures, these unique cameraless contact prints feature shadowy images of discarded electronics, which persist in the environment long after their obsolescence, juxtaposed with organic materials, highlighting their vastly different rates of decay. Cazabon is based in Baltimore, MD and is a Professor of Art at University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
These prints were translucent, so Lynn had custom plexiglass frames made that featured a box distancing them from the wall. The photographs don’t capture it properly: they really glowed. Unfortunately, they were oddly fragile and while they were lightweight, they required giant shipping boxes. 2/5 arrived broken at joinery points and I worked with Lynn’s advice to best repair them, and their shipping cost ended up far exceeding our budget. I found a local business to let us use their commercial shipping account for a discounted rate but ended up requiring Lynn to pay more in shipping than I think she ever expected. I’m certain that advance planning and more time to communicate would have prevented that - asking her to quote the shipping price in advance and adjusting the number of pieces in the show.
That show also featured Heather Schulte’s “Stitching the Situation” piece, which was a lovely installation - it looked great from any angle, even the top of the ladder. I had a vision of the installation, she had some ideas to make it work, and then we installed together, adjusting where necessary.
Example 6- Chelsea Gilmore
As an installation artist, I create new landscapes that seek a balance of building new worlds from the waste of this one. I am compelled to find moments of intimacy, beauty, and wonder through the transformation of abundant and common materials. With a reverence for the natural world, I am motivated and inspired by the transitional landscapes where culture and nature collide. The scale and volume of the work speaks for itself as a call for action and awareness to the state of global consumption and industrial waste in our changing world.
The large exception to the rule that “I installed every exhibit” is when our resident artists produce their solo show in the main gallery. They are primarily responsible for design and installation, and I am available for advice and assistance, and to manage lighting. For Chelsea’s show, we had the opportunity to discuss her plans as they developed during her residency. She works with primarily found and reclaimed materials, so I partnered her with local printing company Circle Graphics to take on their large billboard print material that couldn’t be recycled, and she manipulated it in a range of ways throughout the residency. Because we had the chance to collaborate for months on planning the installation, I was able to communicate that we would need the space for events. Chelsea constructed the central “tree” column with a wheeled base, and enough material so that it could be moved to the side if needed! This exhibit was also an exercise in maintenance, as the strands piece needed constant repair: children pulled them down from the ceiling regularly.
Bonus List:
Noah Breuer
These were shipped to us in a roll. Learned to steam wrinkles out of fabric & borrowed a work table from FRCC, integrating the style of the table as a reference to the work’s factory influences. I’ve steamed nylon in kites and wind toys but never a natural fiber, and there was some trial and error.
Bonus List:
Noah McLaurine
Dirt on a pedestal, maintained to fall exactly at the edge.
