AiOP: week 4

so this had been a super fun project. i'm sad that it's over.

the last trip was different, maybe because people now know art is happening on 14th, and maybe because i was standing in one place longer putting the moths up, more stopped and looked and waited til i finished and took pics. (funny, these little interactions during the month really made me want to investigate performance art more.)

I think i'm going to try to repeat this in other cities. hopefully sanctioned by the city officials - if anyone knows of anyone from whom i can find out more, please point me their way! Nevertheless, I'm going to look into Boston next, I think, when I take up my friends' invite to visit (before he finds a different job and move away!) In the meantime, if you're in the CHI, don't be surprised if you see them popping up in places...

AiOP: week 3

Many thanks, again, to David, the moths landed between 1st Ave and Broadway during the past weekend (10/17/09). more amazing pics at: http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/creativeapps/slideShow/Main.jsp?token=622183834805%3A1359015734

photos: David H. Chan
Next week, I go back to NYC myself. Yay!!

AiOP: Week 2

Many, MANY thanks to David, the moths were able to continue their journeys during the 2nd week of AiOP on 14th Street. Here are some of the pics he took. For more, see, http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/creativeapps/slideShow/Main.jsp?token=438521224805%3A431873601
They are truly awesome and some are quite funny. Thumbs up from my corner. :)

photos: David H. Chan

Wayward moths (Part 2 of 2)

Bryant Park, Saks, NYPL, random locales on 5th Av

wayward moths (part 1)

started raining on Saturday; had a few moths left (brought 240 this trip). decided not to go back to 14th. ended up walking around and did the touristy stuff. somehow those few escaped from my pocket...

Promenade by the Rock, NY Bank, NYPL, Met museum gift shop, random emergency box...

AiOP happening (Part 3 of 3)

AiOP happening (Part 2)

mostly they were on just one side of the street this time, from 5th Ave to 8th Ave, clustered. people watched as I put them up. two guys in car stopped; they were wearing identical blue tees and talking on a hand-radio... hm...

AiOP happening (part 1)

some of the moths from last week were still where i left them. it was good to see one actually "reconstituted" after the rain. most were gone though...

AiOP setting up (part 5 and last)

at a bus stop after Ave B, I ran into an old woman. again we smiled at each other. she watched me with apparent interest as I "deposited" the moths. as I was walking away, I saw her stop before each one, like people would in front of paintings in museums. I thought was cute. Same bus stop, a little bit later, moths still there, but clearly, no one noticed. of course, that they were white on white might have something to do with it. (also thought they might be smart enough to camouflage themselves in the wild. at least i hope so.)

















finally, one woman (middle age) demanded, "what is that?" as i was putting some up on a brick wall. i said "it's part of art in odd places; it starts this coming weekend", and before i could tell her more about it, she asked in the same tone, "it's art?". when i replied in the affirmative, she looked at the moth again, muttered something to herself, and hurried away. hm...

my last stop was at the Theatre Lab, putting some up for the opening party. a guy opened the door and asked what i was doing. when i explained to him, we introduced ourselves, and he explained that he saw me from the window and wanted to make sure i wasn't posting menus. anyway, he was very nice and let me put some inside.

setting up for interesting and quite fun. hope the 600 or so moths I left survived. love NY. can't wait to go back tomorrow to do it all over again!

























this poor moth was from the night before, and melting in the rain.

AiOP setting up (part 4)

still raining cats and dogs (ok, maybe not dogs, but at least mice and cats) when i got up in the AM. not a terribly happy camper - altho was very happy that there were hardly anyone on the street (8:30am Sunday morning, too). back to union square and noticed that some of the moths were gone. dunno if people actually picked them up or the city's cleaning crew did?

anyway, had to made some adjustments with the wet surfaces. figured it would make sense for the moths to seek shelters of bus stops and telephone booths and construction canopies if they're stranded in the rain in the city...

towards Ave A, I ran into a city sweeper. we smiled at each other. thought he was going to ask, and i had my cards ready to show him, but he just watched me for a minute, then kept going. thought that was interesting.

AiOP setting up (part 3)

gotta love those Burns posters and stickers all over the area. saw the "Unite in Art" message and thought that was definitely a sign! anyway, because of the impending rain, the first day of the walk along 14th ended in Chelsea (I think).

AiOP setting up (part 2)

the first hour there before meeting up with David and Jen, I went from Union Square Park to about 8th Ave and back. saw the Mister Softee truck and just had to put one nearby. people for the most part just ignored what I was doing. a couple of people stopped. one guy actually doubled back and looked at the moth I just put up. that was cool.