Art Events Chicago

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This is a piece that I built about three years ago.

Originally the seltzer was designed to go along the lakefront.

Hence the low forms back there where water was going to break across the forms, that sort of thing.

It was designed to go parallel with the water.

And if you were out on a lake and you wanted to look more, looking back to shore, you'd see the interaction of the forms.

Or if you were on shore looking up, you'd see the interaction of the water.

The piece is made out of the same material as the Picasso, which is a porcelain seal, double -sided and arc -rolled.

These are works that are extremely difficult and the best competition to install.

And we have to think of it more as a mechanical effort.

And maybe some very sophisticated work for me.

But in general, I think one of the things that show life, what it can do, is to bring people from high to low, and to bring them to the surface.

And I think that's the key to the work.

And I think that's the key to the work.

And I think that's the key to the work.

And I think that's the key to the work.

And I think that's the key to the work.

And I think that's the key to the work.

And I think that's the key to the work.

And I think that's the key to the work.

Stop! That was not my fault! I was only rescuing you.

Are we ready? We're moving.

Watch your hands.

Come on! Stop! That's a good choice! It was a lot of, it was really, it was a lot skinnier than I thought it was going to be.

But it was neat.

Let's enjoy them.

Let's take it to the...

It's fantastic.

What? What did you say? What's going on in there? What happens? You just get stuck into these teeny little claustrophobic spaces.

That's about it.

And you have to discover when you're going to be able to get out.

And if you make it go too far, you'll get into another claustrophobic space and be stuck.

That's the story.

Well, it's a pleasure to be in the show, and I think this is a really big boost for Illinois and for the whole scene in Chicago for sculpture and for art.

I'm Pearlman, and this is my sculpture, Big Diamond, which was made especially for the Chicago mile of sculpture and the art fair.

And it's real exciting for me to be here and be able to make a piece this big and have all the Chicago sculptors set it up for me and then come out here and take a bow.

But it's a wonderful opportunity for a sculptor to make a piece this big.

We made it in a steel yard in Brooklyn, New York.

People named Red Hook Fabricators built it from a model, and I worked with them every day and supervised it.

Then it came out here on a flatbed truck, and Barry Tinsley and Bruce White helped set it up, and here I am.

But these are the kind of things you can't do alone.

You have to have lots of help, and sculptors really help each other.

This is Marty Margulies, who's a great sculpture collector, great art collector, and has several pieces of mine and has lots of sculpture.

I enjoyed the event because it gave me an opportunity to watch people enjoying my sculpture to see probably more people viewing my sculpture at any one time than I may see viewing it, say, in several years.

This piece is a program electronics, kinetics, light, sound piece, and it's called Navy Pier.

It's more of a symbolic action than really light and sound that the viewer first recognizes or sees.

So you're asked to get an idea about what the movement and what the act of the lights and sounds are about.

In this case, it's somewhat obvious that it represents the flow of the water coming in and going out and maybe a sunrise.

The piece has various capabilities.

It's set for this show to be somewhat tranquil, but it does have the ability to be very violent, storm -like.

My name is Tom Gibbs.

This is my sculpture, a steel sculpture called Obelisk, the third, excuse me, the third Obelisk.

And can you hold it there a while? Well, I think it's something here.

That thing's stop and start.

Let's go! I'm driving a car.

Really? And thank you for listening.

Most fascinating evenings I've ever seen because, as you know, tonight, this is the largest extravaganza in Chicago.

And that we are, oh, hello.

Bill, this is one of the largest extravaganza, oh, hello, Bill.

This is one of the largest extravaganza in Chicago.

As you know, this is the largest extravaganza in Chicago in a long time.

Here out in Navy Pier in Chicago, thousands of people.

I'm real happy to be in the show, very pleased.

I'm Mike Bauer, and this is my sculpture, which I call Passage, but I call a whole lot of things Passage.

They deal with movement, going from one place to the other.

And this show is very exciting.

I'm happy to be in Chicago this day and time, but I moved up here.

It's not that I'm uncomfortable sitting here talking about this stuff, it's just that I don't talk much about it.

I'm enjoying the art mile of sculpture and the art fair here in Chicago.

It's a pleasure to be a part of it.

And my own sculpture to be here is very nice.

This particular piece is a variation of a larger piece which I'm making for Columbus, Ohio, which will be 18 feet across and 30 feet high.

And I hope that people here can enjoy this version.

The other piece is in stainless, this one is painted.

It's for Mount Vernon Plaza in Columbus, Ohio.

Celebrations are good, but art celebrations are all the better.

It's about getting involved and interacting with the piece.

Our society has been raised, don't touch this, don't touch that, don't get involved, apathy, stay away.

I hope to break that barrier.

Find out what it's like to participate.

Enjoy yourself.

Find out what it's like to be here.

Because that one you can get in and feel comfortable and feel confined.

This one you're on the outside.

You have to be aware of it and still very cautious of it.

Because it's aggressive and playful at the same time.

And yet the one out at the pier is very playful and protective at the same time.

Well, I think I'm really pleased to be here tonight at the opening of the Mile of Sculpture and Art 82 Chicago.

So I think for me it's a really special event.

It has potential for bringing to Chicago again and again an amazing kind of array of sculpture, the likes of which could not be seen anywhere else.

Who knows, it's nice to be in your film.

We'll be seeing you in the store.

Identifier

F.2005-08-0303

Date Of Production

May 1982

Abstract

Loosely assembled footage documents Mayor Jane Byrne’s Mile of Sculpture Art Fair held on Navy Pier in May 1982. Shots include Mayor Byrne as she delivers a speech, several interviews with participating sculptors including Joel Perlman, Tom Gibbs, Mike Bauer, Melvin Edwards, and Terrence Karpowicz, and a performance by the Balkan Rhythm Band.

Format

Super 8

Extent

350 feet

Color

Color

Sound

Mag Stripe

Reel/Tape Number

1/1

Has Been Digitized?

Yes

Language Of Materials

English

Element

Reversal Positives

Subject

Art
Performances

Preservation Sponsor

Related Collections

Subseries II: Footage

Related Places

North America ➜ United States ➜ Illinois ➜ Chicago ➜ Near North Side

Main Credits

Stamets, Bill (is filmmaker)

Participants And Performers

Perlman, Joel (is interviewee)

Gibbs, Robert T. (is interviewee)

Bauer, Mike (is interviewee)

Melvin Edwards (is interviewee)

Karpowicz, Terrence (is interviewee)

Byrne, Jane (is participant)

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