Art Attack The Burn Is On, AGAIN (weather permitting)
John Rankine
10/11/2012
Last May, fellow artist Chris Fischer and I, feeling a little ambitious, curated and organized the group exhibition “Finding Nature – Art in the Landscape” in coordination with the May Festival of the Arts. The exhibit featured a variety of local artists – some known, some not-so-known in a group show at The Space, which in my humble opinion turned out fabulous.
Included with the gallery exhibit were several site-specific installations at outdoor locations. One of those installations was on the property next to my home off of Rockhouse Rd. It’s where I invited artists to come out to the land to create individual sculptures using the fallen dead wood from the deadly ice storm a few years back.
Approximately 25 artists came out to participate with the majority of work completed in a couple of days.
The original plan was to invite the public out to see the sculptures and then set the majority on fire (a mini Burning Man) at the end of the month to celebrate the end of the May Festival of the Arts.
What we didn’t anticipate was that Eureka Springs and most of the country would experience the worst heat and drought in 60 years – thus a Burn Ban in effect for the next several months.
So here it is, October – the ground fairly damp, cool nights, no bugs and the sculptures, while a bit battered, are still standing and ready to be burned this Sunday evening. According to the 10-day weather forecast (and we all know how reliable they are) this Sunday has zero chance of precipitation with a low of 54° at night.
So once again the public is invited to come out to view the sculptures and watch them go up in flames on the beautiful fall evening of Sunday, Oct. 14 starting at 6 p.m. Please feel free to come out, bring a drum if you want, some marshmallows, some liquid to keep you warm, a nosh – whatever. This will be pretty informal¬ – a small talk from Ranaga about his homage to his late brother, the pyro-technic team in place and a match.
DIRECTIONS
Take Rockhouse Rd. approximately 4 miles. Take the first left past the second bridge. It will be marked. If you pass the OM Sanctuary, you have gone too far. Simply follow the road all the way to the end.
P.S. A reminder that this is the Second Saturday Gallery Walk. Looking forward to viewing Diana Harvey’s new work “Arkansas Baroque” at Zarks and new stuff by the lovely Miss Julie Kahn Valentine at The Jewel Box.
P.S.S As this paper goes to press, local Icon Zeek Taylor is presenting his “Ted Talk,” which can be heard on-line. Congratulations.
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