Tag Archive: Everything is starting to take shape…


Beginning to take shape

These will become Pillars very soon...As you can see, the Pillars of Light are well on their way to being finished!  We’ve been in production for a couple of weeks now and we’re happy to say that we’re well on target to get everything finished right on schedule!

As noted earlier in the week, we’ve learned a lot about acrylic and glue over the last few days.  We’ve also learned a lot about surgical gloves and hummus, but we haven’t quite figured out what we’re going to do with that particular knowledge just yet.  Give it time though, We’re sure we’ll come up with something…

We’re in the home stretch now, with just a little more than a week to go before we can share Pillars of Light with you at Nuit Blanche Ottawa Gatineau, and we’re getting more and more excited with every passing day!  We can hardly wait to see you!

Rik and Deane

Be sure to RSVP for “Pillars of Light” on Facebook or follow us on Twitter!

 

 

 

Installation Assembly

At the end of the day, it all looks very easy.  You see a finished installation and it looks awesome and you marvel at how great it is, but very rarely does it come to mind how long it takes on the back end to get everything ready.  We can assure you that it takes lots of time.  Like, really, lots and lots of time.

Installation AssemblyWe started putting everything together on the weekend, and even though we had planned everything out in intricate detail (on napkins), even though we spent a few hours at the hardware store finding the right tools, even though we were pretty much ready for anything, it still took a long time putting it all together.  And we still have a long way to go, but it will all be worth it when we can finally share Pillars of Light with you.

We can hardly wait!

Rik and Deane

SubZeroArts

Be sure to RSVP for “Pillars of Light” on Facebook or follow us on Twitter!

Working with new materials…

With every installation that SubZeroArts does, we try to build in a learning component for the sake of development.  Whether it’s developing new programming, or trying to figure out new problems, or working in different environments, we always try to build on our knowledge base and increase our experience.  Admittedly that kind of thinking can lead to it’s share of challenges, but we like to think that it makes us better artists and keeps us sharp. And really, how much fun would it be if there weren’t any challenges?

PLBTS2

We’re learning a lot about acrylic and a related material you may already be familiar with, glue.  You would think that there isn’t much to know about acrylic, but you would be wrong.  There is a considerable knowledge base that one needs when working in this medium.  And don’t get us started on glue.  There should be a masterclass on that stuff…

Rik and Deane

SubZeroArts

Obligatory sketch on a napkin post

It all begins with a sketch on a napkin...

Here at SubZeroArts we feel very strongly that all great things begin with a sketch on a napkin.  And our latest installation, Pillars of Light is no different…

So to begin the countdown to our debut at Nuit Blanche Ottawa Gatineau, we thought we’d share that sketch on a napkin with you.  It really feels like it’s happening now, doesn’t it?

We hope you’ll join us on Saturday, September 21st, 2013 as “Pillars of Light” makes its debut at Club SAW. Inspired by the beauty of outer space, “Pillars of Light” is a brand new participatory environment designed for NBOG where movement influences a series of illuminated columns within a three dimensional space, creating an active linkage between the audience and their environment through an evolving aural/optical spectacle that evokes nebulae, auroras and other interplanetary phenomena.

We’re really looking forward to seeing you there!

Rik and Deane

SubZeroArts

Be sure to RSVP for “Pillars of Light” on Facebook or follow us on Twitter!

Follow us on Facebook too!

A lot of you have been asking us about about our new installation “Pillars of Light”, and we’re thrilled by all of your support! Over the next few weeks we’ll be sharing a whole bunch of stuff with you about getting everything ready, from preliminary sketches on napkins (because every installation begins with a sketch on a napkin…) through to behind the scenes shots of the two of us covered in rubber cement, right up to event day. We hope you’ll keep checking back here at subzeroarts.com so you can enjoy the journey to Ottawa with us!nbog2013-webgraphic

Those of you who prefer to get your information on the go may be interested to know that we’ve created a Facebook event for “Pillars of Light”, so if you RSVP we’ll know to look for you on the night of the event and we can say hi!

While we’re talking about Facebook, have you Liked us there yet? You should!

Everything starts tomorrow…

We’re almost ready to hit the start button. Tomorrow at noon “The Sound is Watching You” begins it’s month long residency at the NAISA Space at Artscape Wychwood Barns, and to say that we’re totally excited is a major understatement!  We’ve worked really hard to create something very special and we hope that you’ll be able to share it with us. So as the countdown to showtime nears its end, we thought we’d take a few minutes to clarify and reiterate a few things from earlier posts that people have been asking us over the last few days;

1) In keeping with SubZeroArts’ ideal of audience interaction, “The Sound is Watching You” is a multimedia experience that’s fun and engaging for audience members of all ages. It’s suitable for the whole family and we encourage you to bring your kids to experience it if you’d like.

2) “The Sound is Watching You” is being presented in the NAISA Space at Artscape Wychwood Barns, 601 Christie Street, Studio #252, Toronto, Ontario.  Visiting hours for the installation are as follows;

Fri January 18 – 12-3 pm
Sun January 20 – 12-5 pm
Friday January 25 – 12-3 pm
Friday February 1 – 12-3 pm
Saturday February 2 – 10-3 pm
Friday February 8 – 12-3 pm
Saturday February 9 – 10-3 pm
Friday February 15 – 12-3 pm
Saturday February 16 – 10-3 pm
Monday February 18 – 1-4 pm

3) “The Sound is Watching You” is a free installation for you to enjoy! There’s no admission fee so if you’re thinking that bringing your family of eight will empty out your wallet, think again!  You can drop by during visiting hours and there’s no charge to see it!

4) Admittedly some of our regular readers may not have the chance to fly overseas to Toronto to experience “The Sound is Watching You” for themselves.  Rest assured that we’ll do our best to document the installation so you’ll all be able to see what we’re talking about!

So now we do all that last minute night before opening stuff, and then we’re up bright and early to do all the fine tuning that gets done at the eleventh hour.  We hope that we’ll see some of you at the show!

Rik and Deane/SubZeroArts

Add us on Twitter @SubZeroArts or Like us on Facebook to keep up with details about “The Sound is Watching You”!

 

 

All systems are go…

So.  We are just about ready.  All of the programs are working, visuals are looking fine, and pretty soon we’ll be ready to press the start button.  On Friday January 18th “The Sound is Watching You” goes live at NAISA!

Needless to say, there are about five billion things that we still have to do, but we are on track to have them all done.  Speaking of which, a very important thing for us to do is to confirm what hours the NAISA Space will be open for you to see the show!  Hours are as follows;

Fri January 18 – 12-3 pm
Sun January 20 – 12-5 pm (This is the official Art’s Birthday Celebration and our official opening!)
Friday January 25 – 12-3 pm
Friday February 1 – 12-3 pm
Saturday February 2 – 10-3 pm
Friday February 8 – 12-3 pm
Saturday February 9 – 10-3 pm
Friday February 15 – 12-3 pm
Saturday February 16 – 10-3 pm
Monday February 18 – 1-4 pm

If you come by on Friday January 18th or Sunday January 20th we’ll be at the site to meet with you and chat about the event, so come on by and say hello!  We’ll be in and out on other days as well, but even if we’re not there to visit with, you’ll still be able to enjoy the installation.

While we’re at it, NAISA’s space is located at Artscape Wychwood Barns, 601 Christie Street, Studio #252

See you there!

Rik and Deane/SubZeroArts
Add us on Twitter @SubZeroArts or Like us on Facebook to keep up with details about “The Sound is Watching You”!

Moving Shadows on the Wall…

During preparations for “The Sound is Watching You” we’ve spent a lot of time figuring out projector throw ratios and sizing staging areas.  We have blisters from frequent tape measure use, and we’re a little concerned that we’re getting grid views burned into our retinas.  But it’s all coming together very nicely, and we’re getting more excited each day to be able to share “The Sound is Watching You” with all of you!

By the way, we’ve found that a number of you would like to help us out with this installation, but you’re not really sure what you can do.  Apparently a number of you would like to help us hang cables, but so far we’ve got all that stuff covered off (thanks for the offers though!).  One thing you can definitely do to help us out is to spread the word about “The Sound is Watching You”!  Tell your friends about us, maybe even suggest that they follow us on Facebook or Twitter.  Perhaps you’d like to add one of our lovely banners to your Facebook page, or your blog, or what have you. Feel free to grab one from the selection below;

Needless to say, the best way to support what we do is to come and experience “The Sound is Watching You” for yourself!

We’d love to see you there!

Rik and Deane/SubZeroArts

 

Getting to know the space…

Yesterday we anounced that our installation “The Sound is Watching You” would be presented at the NAISA Space as part of their 2013 Art’s Birthday Celebrations.  We’re very excited about this opportunity and judging from the response we’ve received so far, it seems like a number of you are too!  We hope that we’ll see you all at the show when it opens later this week. In addition to making announcements, yesterday was also spent getting to know the space.  There’s a lot of stuff that has to be done before we open the doors, not the least of which is getting to know the space…

Each space has it’s own advantages and disadvantages, and getting to know the space beforehand is a crucial part of preparation.  You need to figure out if you’ve got enough cables, or if you need to get connectors.  You need to measure the distance between electrical outlets and make sure that you have working wifi.  Getting to know the space is when you find out if you need to borrow a ladder or if you’re going to be balancing on rickety tables.  Getting to know the space is really Really REALLY important.  So yesterday we got to know the NAISA Space where we’ll be presenting “The Sound is Watching You”.

And we think it’s a really great Space!

Among other things like measurements and checking wifi and testing connections and locating bathrooms, we spent a fair bit of time hanging cables.  Hanging cables isn’t a colloquialism or art-speak or anything, it’s pretty much exactly what it sounds like, it’s getting up on a ladder and roping cables through lighting grids and looping it around pipes and hiding it behind curtains and making sure that everything connects the way it’s supposed to. After getting to know the space, hanging cables is pretty much the second most important thing involved in the preparation of any installation.

We feel you should know that the third most important step to prepare an installation is to find the nearest coffee shop.  Really.  You need to know where to get coffee.  And sugary treats.  These things are crucial.

So yesterday we did all those things to prepare for our installation. And having done them, we’re pretty confident that we can bring it all together in time to open at the end of the week.  We know the space, we’ve hung the cable, and there’s a Starbucks around the corner within walking distance.  We are officially ready to present “The Sound is Watching You”, and we look forward to seeing you there!

 

It won’t be long now…

Screens and projectors? Check!
Cameras? Check and Check!
Mac, firewire, cables and power bars packed? Check!
SubZeroArts homework printed out? Check!
SZA buttons made? (Eep, don’t tell Deane, but I haven’t started on those yet…)
Duct tape? Check and double check!

So the graphic test has been completed and all the gear is packed and ready to go. Today we bought a drill and 40 feet of copper wire, and we’re about as ready as we’ll ever be. We’ll be leaving Toronto tomorrow morning and we’ll be setting up Saturday afternoon in anticipation of Nuit Blanche Ottawa 2012 on Saturday night.

To say that we’re excited is an understatement, and we wanted to thank all of you for your support and encouragement and well wishes and donations and everything. We’re very lucky to have such an amazingly supportive group of friends and fans and followers, and we hope we’ll see a bunch of you at the SAW Gallery on Saturday night. And for those of you that can’t make it out, we’ll be sure to take lots of pictures and video and stuff so you can live the LIGHTSOUNDPLAY! experience vicariously through us!

BTW, it’s not too late to tell your friends about us, or to make a donation, or to ask them to like our facebook page or to follow us on Twitter!

Anyway, we probably won’t have much chance to update here between now and the event, but we’ll be live tweeting the whole experience on our twitter feed @subzeroarts using the hashtag #szanbo12. We hope you’ll follow along with us through the weekend.

We’d also like to thank the very kind people at Artengine who very thoughtfully mentioned LIGHTSOUNDPLAY! as being an installation of particular interest. We hope that we’ll not only live up to your expectations but surpass them!

Gotta run, those buttons aren’t going to make themselves…

Rik and Deane/SubZeroArts

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