Some Moving Crew members are going to Indy at the end of January for an install. at Big Car. More information to be posted as it happens.

ephemera, books, crates

A while back I was part of a show called "F is for Free, Eph is for Ephemera." The idea was that each participating artist made a multiple of something that would be distributed as part of the show. The curator actually made an online catalog of the project plus a CD version that was distributed. Check it out here: F is for Free

I was thinking maybe we could take this idea and use it for a publication somehow. Each crate that gets created (if we go that route--I like the idea) could have a distributable component--to be decided by the artist. Then we can scan or photograph or otherwise get the "ephemera" into a format that can be used for a book. The ephemera could be something truly cheap and easy to reproduce--if you wanted to make a print, the distributable part could just be a photocopy but the actual editioned print could be included in a portfolio that could then be for sale... The ephemera could be, as Lydia said, a way to brainstorm ideas for the actual project. Then the ephemera could actually travel to Croatia as well... or, it could be another fundraiser?? A complete set of ephemera included with the deluxe edition of the book?

Also, I visited a really great gallery in Zagreb called galerija miroslav kraljevic. They show work and work with artists doing really interesting, interactive, outside-the-gallery kind of stuff. I wonder if we can collaborate with them somehow...

galerija miroslav kraljevic

Croatia/Funding Brainstorm from Damenkonfektion

The crate idea is fantastic (I always gaze at those Pods that people use to move lately and it reminds me of Bruce Tapola's use of the U-Haul to set his show next to the Walker Art Center-but better).

What about mini crates that we construct and fill with specific work for the show-- the work doesn't have to be an art object itself, it could be a project, material and instructions--something like the kits Jeremy developed for ICRAPT--but a standard crate, a module, something to ship and unpack--into the larger crate or as is. I'm thinking of this as a start (as we're in a place without funding right now, without the means to purchase and store the larger crate). This may also remedy our constant lack of finished components that frequently freaks us out when we're doing the projects.

If everyone completes a crate, we have a base to start with and build off of when we arrive. The crates, as they're completed, will also act as documents and output to demonstrate our activity, even when we aren't in the same place as members--the show won't be just a figment on paper or a proposal, but a project in motion, changing, a chance for call and response--the crates could be shipped from one of us to another, requesting the skills of another to complete the contents. The smaller crates might even be saleable--John Freyer style--ebay fundraiser?? Who wouldn't want to buy a crate that has been to Crotia, exhibited, and back?

Also, after talking with Maggie about fundraising (I think David mentioned this in his email about the CBAA conference), the idea of a print portfolio or a book project seems like a great source of revenue and another example of our work--to be exhibited in Croatia, as a means to request funds (our ongoing activity)--especially as some of us are in the same state right now--with access to great facilities and resources. I also think a book might help to consolidate and focus our ideas. It's always hard to get everyone to participate and it most frequently happens when we're in the actual space setting up the show with a deadline. A book project or portfolio (something like Circular Ruins or The Land of Wandering) could act as a precursor, a chance to brainstorm and develop our plans prior to the actual project, but also create a great, accessible piece (there could be a hand-made version and a more easily printed/distributed version—Maggie and David have already offered their Epson).

Finally, let’s think portable, maybe a video project that would be tied to Croatia. I know we don't know what Croatia will become quite yet, but there are a few short video submissions out there that might give us structure for deadlines, potential exposure, and help us create work for the Croatia shows to boot--like Ninth Letter--maybe even Wholpin--not sure.

Croatia 2010 project brainstorms

Let's start brainstorming. If a project is good enough we'll find the money.

Let's keep our options open and ambitious and then think of the barriers later.

PLEASE ADD TO OR REVISE THIS IDEA!

PLEASE ADD OTHER IDEAS FOR CROATIA PROJECTS!

Here is a crazy idea.

I have been thinking about ports and shipping containers. See wikipedia for a bit on these ITU's, ISO's or Isotainers. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Containerization

Rijeka is a port city on the Adriatic.
http://www.portauthority.hr/english/rijeka/news_07.shtml#2003
Rijeka will change dramatically when Croatia enters the EU.

What if we bought, rented, or leased a shipping container here in the states and built a show and activities out of it and shipped it to Rijeka?

Options:

• If we bought, the show could be housed in the unit itself and painted on the outside. We'd have to buy it (around $1200 each used and $6000 new) and arrange shipping ahead of time (truck, train, boat there. Then truck to show site somewhere in Rijeka.) There will be additional shipping and customs charges. Questions: do we pack a show in it-- traveling style-- or do we pack it like a crate that gets unpacked? Would there be a spot in Rijeka or Opatija or Zagreb where we could put it? What would the show be like in the inside? Could it be a mobile Moving Crew unit that we could load on a truck and take to two sites?

• This is obviously not a cheap proposition but also not completely out of range either I believe. Hopefully ambitious. I think the biggest financial issue is still getting people to Croatia.

• Rent a shipping container and pack all our supplies inside of it to have shipped to Rijeka. What if we packed it full of all types of transport-- a boat, bikes, mopeds, motorcycle, skateboards, scooters, etc.? Use these around Rijeka, Opatija or Zagreb in some way. Commute, shuttle back and forth between Rijeka and Opatija. Make videos, performances, 2-D and 3-D artwork, installations out of these activities?

• There are services where they can drop the container off at your house for two days, we load it, and then they pick it up and off it goes via truck, train, and sea to Croatia. Or services where they stop by your house for a few hours and we load it up and send it off to Croatia. Amazing.

• Buy one and move it temporarily somewhere in Croatia and live and work out of it? Just work out of it?

• Obviously this kind of thing would take some prep on our part. If we buy one we'd have to find a way to sell it back to the port in Rijeka. Not sure if this is possible. In the U.S. and much of Europe (countries that export little) they are trying to get rid of them versus shipping them back empty. These suckers weigh 8,000 lbs (3,500 kg) empty.

• Would the shipping container be an ideal format for bringing ICRAPT back? Collage work inside? Or perhaps some sort of library? Or a technical support center of some kind? Or a passport office? Could we make it into an office? (UN or NATO office, landmine office selling landmines for people to plant, Blackwater office, Halliburton office. An office trying to get Croatia to join a new group similar to European Union called Jugoslavia. Other ideas relevant to Croatia? Perhaps some of these listed here are offensive?

• Steel containers. Could we dismantle it and do something with it? Transform it into something else relevant for the sites in Croatia? Salvage?

• Best to use a worldwide friendly size of container (no bigger than 40' (12.2 m)long. Inside dimensions approx. Length 39'5" x Width 7'8" x Height 7' 9" with door size height 7'8" x width 7'5"

Other info:
http://www.shippinginternational.com/fullcontainer.htm

http://www.boxdeposit.com/

http://www.containercity.com/index.php?id=1

http://www.tempohousing.com/projects/keetwonen.html

PLEASE ADD TO OR REVISE THIS IDEA!
PLEASE ADD OTHER IDEAS FOR CROATIA PROJECTS!
Let's keep our options open and ambitious and then think of the barriers later.

Wake up bloggy heads!

Hey Moving Crew!
Croatia 2010. It starts now.









Funding ideas that people have mentioned:

1. Creative Capital grant. I think their next round is for early 2010 and concentrates on Film, Video and Visual Art. I'll try to find out more specific deadlines but their last round outlines a lengthy process with the first round due in March of the year.

http://www.creative-capital.org/index.html

2. State Arts Council grants. Individuals from various states would need to look into the funding from their state. Iowa, Washington, Illinois, CA, NV, PA, NY, MI, etc.

3. Grant support from your college/university if employed or student there.

4. Puffin Foundation (smaller amounts)

5. Gunk Foundation (smaller amounts)

6. FACE Croatia. I think we need to be a non-profit for this though.

7. Franklin Furnace. (smaller amounts)

8. Meet for production this summer-- making stuff-- entrepreneurial approach? Print exchange or fine artist books to approach special collections?

9. Other grants?

10. Other ideas?

The Moving Crew at Bemis Underground

bemisUNDERGROUND: The Moving Crew (Land Grant Flag-State Construct)

Event Time: June 23^rd, 2007-July 21^st, 2007

Additional Info

WHAT: A site-specific, interactive installation, curated by Lydia Diemer

WHEN: June 23 – July 21, 2007

OPENING NIGHT: Saturday, June 23^rd, 2007, 7:00 – 10:00 p.m.

WHO: Lydia Diemer, Jeremy Chen, Maggie Booth, Katherine Parker, David Bendernagel, Neva Sills, Nadija Mustapic, Heather Foster, Lee Running, Daniel Luchman, Matt Stults, Christina McClelland, Daniel Maw, Ryan Standfest, Kim Ambriz, Adam Wolpa, Aurora De Armendi, and more

WHERE: The bemisUNDERGROUND, lower level of the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, 724 S. 12^th Street

 

Omaha, NE-

Calling all landowners, pleasure cruisers, refugees, conquistadors, settlers, and nomads!  New realms available now!  Stake claim!  Pursue vocations! Speculate!

 

Territory has opened in the bemisUNDERGROUND.  Millions of idle inches, finely timbered and watered, the most fertile in the continent, and if reports are true, cardboard resources in lavish abundance, all awaiting the subduing hand of civilization.  The Moving Crew has already begun development, establishing a town site, port, newspaper, general store, and saloon.  Now is the time to secure a home on the finest land ever offered by The Moving Crew.  Considering the unprecedented rush already in this direction, in this direction, you are advised to set at once.

 

The entire tract has been surveyed by The Moving Crew and recorded.  The boundaries of this land will be clearly given by our Superintendent of Locations when you arrive at the bemisUNDERGROUND during opening hours, June 23^rd, 7:00 – 10:00 p.m.  The Moving Crew insures territory immigrants the lowest of prices in outfitting them (local currencies provided, bartering optional).  Most trips abroad are trouble free, however you should take sensible precautions and ensure that you are adequately prepared.  Passports available upon entrance (for a nominal fee)!  Sectional maps GRATIS!  This tide will continue until every vestige of the public domain is taken (each Saturday, noon – 5:00 p.m. or by July 21^st, 2007, whichever comes first).

 

About the Artist:

The Moving Crew is an amorphous art collective working to enlarge and enliven the public sphere.  An ever expanding and contracting group of civil servants, students, former elementary school teachers, and crisis line volunteers form The Moving Crew's ranks, a collection of bodies and art objects, as well as a gathering of ideas, thoughts and relationships.  Cultural animation drives our projects; we investigate the implications of a society in motion, its people migrating through space and time, simultaneously rooted and displaced, forever wandering and on the way home.  By examining both humorous and serious issues on local and global scales, The Moving Crew hopes to engage the public in playful, interactive art activities that loosely surround ideas of community, movement and transformation with a sensibility of profound absurdity. Through the use of inexpensive or found objects and materials, The Moving Crew invites people into a new space where the normal rules of the world do not quite apply and where the public is welcome to collaborate.

 

For more info:

bemisUNDERGROUND Phone: 402.408.2397

www.bemisunderground.org

If you would rather not receive these types of announcements, please reply to this email saying so.  Thanks.

When can people install?

hey all!
things are fast approaching. i hope to catch all of you in person, via email or phone.

but... PLEASE POST when you are available to install... when you plan to be at bemis in omaha... we can better figure out housing. we will need to crash in the gallery unless some other leads pan out. if anyone has some leads please let me know. i do have a friend who has kindly offered us some occasional showers at her apt 2 blocks from bemis. there is also a ymca in omaha for swim/showers. glamorous art star life!

i am wondering if the June 16th-17th isn't a great critical mass weekend for installation. of course much of the initial mapping and construction will have been started (SO PEOPLE WHO WANT IN ON THIS BE THERE JUNE 9-10 (or june 9-23). but if june 16-17 works we can even all chip in on a cheap motel if necessary.

THINGS TO DO:
1) let me know your availability in omaha. give me dates you WILL be there.
2) COLLECT stuff for bemis. see list on this blog.
3) let me know what you need transported to omaha. i am arranging a truck and need to know what size we need ASAP! expect me to contact you on this.
4) ask me questions. as we get closer there will be lots of questions. due to my hectic summer i have not stayed in touch with everyone as much as i'd like. i'm sorry. ask me, ask each other. remember, we need each others' superhero powers to make this happen.

my email is chenjerem@gmail.com. katherine is keeping track of movingcrew@gmail.com also so that is another source.

THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING! THIS IS GOING TO ROCK BECAUSE WE ALL MAKE IT ROCK!