So… not much sidewalk circus research or posting has been happening. I’m still practicing (if you look closely you’ll spot the juggling gear on my ute’s tailgate) and have a few plans fermenting, so stay tuned for further information

No disco to go to? Become your own dance party! Not only does this costume feature the all important mirror ball, but it includes lights and music too.

Find out out to build your own mirror ball costume on the indomitable instructables website

The site invites and collects witnesses from around the world to submit photos and videos of zombies in their communities. The media is linked to a global map depicting the level of infection in areas around the world. As the contributions grow, the level of infection rises.

With enough user-submitted content, the clips will be combined into a mockumentary following the plague and the conspiracy to hide it.

It would be a lot of fun to create and film some local content. In fact I think that there might be a few zombies here in Lithgow already (country NSW, Australia tends to be like that), but they’re damned hard to pick from your average shambling local.

Projects will explore connections between public spaces, pedestrian traffic, and ephemeral transient disruptions. Like a scavenger hunt, New Yorkers will use a map to discover art in unexpected places along this amazing street.

Some of my favourites:

1. GLITZ by Terry S. Hardy.

   The project uses one thousand mirror tiles to pay homage to an area of 14th Street known for its speakeasies, dance clubs, and a seedier side of life. In this time of gentrification and ordinariness this installation will strive to bring a little “glitz” back to this popular thoroughfare.

2. PERSONAL SPACE by Illegal Art.

   “Personal Space” tape is used to cordon off areas in which pedestrians may claim their own space. Installed on 14th Street, people can use and interpret the personal space designated by the tape any way that fits their needs. The tape will also be handed out so that anyone may create his or her own personal space.

3. ITINERANT ARTIFACTS by Michael Knierim.

   Litter gathered from 14th Street tree wells is cleaned, documented and placed in scientific display boxes. Affixed to its corresponding parkway tree in a display case, the objects become an archeological record of the immediate past.

4. ROAD KILL STUFFED ANIMALS by L. Mylott Manning

   Mutilated stuffed animals soaked in dirty water are placed at 14th Street locations. The fabric carcasses resemble the aftermath of real animals that have been hit by a vehicle but delve further into psychological symbolism as the viewers realize the uncannily realistic animals are made out of cloth.

5. FRAME THE PEDESTRIAN by Elena Stojanova

   Paper picture frames placed around everyday objects construct an atmosphere and establish a context for understanding and interpreting the artistic nature of an object. In this case, the ordinary and unremarkable are given the importance of a work of art, and pedestrians are offered something to reflect on as they go about their daily lives.

6. CULTURAL CROSSING GUARD by Sara Holwerda and Nick Tobier

   An interactive performance inspired by the regalia of school crossing guards as fashion police. The goal is to have pedestrians to “fit” their neighborhood stylistically: Guards will tuck or un-tuck a shirt, improvise a Mohawk, apply eyeliner, affix designer labels, roll or unroll hems of pants, etc. These actions will illuminate the drastic cultural shifts of the area, while also questioning the authenticity of personal expression and challenging the pedestrians’ personal space.

7. ARTARCHY by Jesse La Flair

   A mime performance of a continuous wall tagging, the projection of a stop motion film by a hidden projector mimics spray paint markings. As the video is projected, the artist appears to repeatedly write on the wall “It’s ok, it’s only art,” followed by a red circle encompassing an “A”. This symbol normally represents anarchy however in this performance the artist shifts the meaning of the symbol to Artarchy.

8. DANCE WITH DEATH by Yoonhye Park (pictured above)

   While wearing a white Korean funeral dress, the artist wanders 14th Street carrying a skeleton. The physicality and appearance of the girl and skeleton moving from place to place intends to provoke the sentiment of the city to confront death resulting from the brutality of the current political situation, revealing the overlooked truth that death is ever-present in our contemporary society.

9. MEANING CLEANING by Hayley Severns and Angela Rose Voulgarelis Illgen

   Volunteer teams sweep the sidewalks starting from the extreme ends of 14th Street. Using brooms and wearing cleaning gloves the artists push the debris from East or West continuously until they reach Union Square, where the dirt and grime will be carted away. Intending to “activate the space,” the project plays with the expected roles and unsaid rules that come along with partitioning the “high brow” and “low brow” of public spaces.

10. SWINGING UNDERGROUND by Caroline Woolard

    The artist rides the L train on a swing that doubles as a bag. In a refusal to use her eyes to identify or condemn others, the project encourages collective imagination, taking the monotonous commute to the playground with an innocent game.

There’s plenty more pix on their website but if you’re on that side of the world in October, take a few for yourself (and post me a link

Toronto health care workers staged a sidewalk circus today to underscore the fact that cuts to health care funding and services have become a “circus” under the McGuinty government’s restructuring plan.

The event, which featured stilt walking, mimes, juggling and unicyles, comes as communities across Ontario prepare for massive “Listen UP! McGuinty” public health care rallies this Saturday September 27th.

This is a hoot – although I’m not sure I really want the previously sunny reputation of street clowning sullied by association with some low-life politician.

More pictures can be seen on smugmug

Volvo Tango
At first I thought: tango music broadcast through the low powered FM25B FM transmitter (which arrived last week), received by a bunch of tango partners via their portable FM receivers – all tangoing away in synchrony, but without any audible cue.

But then I had another idea… why not lay out the steps on the street? A little digging turned up DANCE – a windows program for creating and learning dance patterns (more than 210 patterns are already available – 60 of them with video and picture sequence) u can also animate, print and export the dance patterns; just the ticket for creating some road-ready stencils.

Rather than do anything properly constructive with my Saturday afternoon (you know… washing, tidying, car maintenance, cooking – any of those busy little things that we’re supposed to fill our waking hours with) I decided on a whim to convert this $7 garage sale purchase into a tall bike.

Here we see the project at its half way mark – the front forks, rear wheel and cranks have been removed; the frame inverted and all the running gear replaced. The cranks had to be moved to the opposite side so that I can pedal forwards and have the bike move in the same direction. All that remains to be done is to extend the handle bars and seat post.

And here’s the finished product. I asked my teenage daughter Esther to record my maiden voyage – she was obviously so overcome with admiration that she could barely hold the camera still. As it happens, I like the abstract feel, and you can still get the general idea.

In the city of Bristol (Pop 500,000) there are on average 11 babies born every day.

First breath celebrates each new life with a searchlight projecting up into the nights sky. The lights are sited next to the homes of families where a new baby has just been born.

Across the city vast ethereal towers of light will be seen touching the clouds. The lights will change location each day to the next set of homes, in preparation for the night’s declaration. Lasting for 2 weeks First breath is both private and personal experience as well a large scale public artwork.

The basic premise involves participants downloading an Mp3 from here, transferring it to their portable player and then showing up at the event ready to press play simultaneously with others. I picture a meeting in Machattie park – folks turning up ready to press the play button when they hear the last chime of noon on the clock. What follows is still in planning, but could include standing on cue; the zombie walk pictured above; pointing out the largest participant; simultaneous bubble and baloon blowing; dancing; swarming to various points; treasure hunting; applause; freezing in place and synchronised swimming (without the water). To the outside observer all of this would be with no visible or audible rhyme or reason.

Improv Everywhere have successfully hosted mp3 experiments for the last few years and their descriptions are well worth a read. See: 2007 2006 2005 2004