Tuesday, July 28, 2009

in good we trust | denver biennial for the americas




following on the heels of bruce mau's visit to denver for pecha kucha night denver: volume VI is:

in good we trust | denver biennial for the americas

A Letter to the Future: In Good We Trust
February 3, 2009

We find ourselves between things. In transition. We find ourselves asking questions new questions - questions of purpose. Propelled by these questions we seek new possibilities for change. In this way we are on the cusp of a new era. The 21st Century brings with it a sense of optimism for what is to come. I believe in this optimism and the sheer massive potential of this future. I have born witness to its roots over the past decade through a network of innovators, entrepreneurs, and creative thinkers. And, I witnessed its blossom to scale at an inspiring spectacle, in Denver, in August 2008.

Never before had I experienced such spirited engagement with this future as I did during the Democratic National Convention held in Denver. There was a sense that we were all in this together, actively participating in the optimism. My contribution at this historic moment was through a series of conversations about the future challenges of sustainability that we face as a nation and as a collective world. From this dialogue, so fresh in our memory and so recent as it has launched a new leader, we begin to move towards a new space of action. This is the place in which we begin to imagine a new kind of cultural and civic "Biennial" engagement, that is based on the most fundamental creative acts: Innovation, the act of introducing something new into the world and Entrepreneurship, the act of a building a significant undertaking.

Through our work on Massive Change we have documented and mapped the movement of change-makers broadening the discourse on the future of our collective world. These innovators and entrepreneurs have been leading and participating in a movement in production of new models of public good. This movement is action-based in form and demands active participation by many. It is bound and interconnected by an unspoken and invisible cloud of trust across boundaries of disciplines, institutions, and geographies. I imagine the title of this movement as, “In Good We Trust”.

We will 1) exhibit and articulate, 2) engage participants, 3) produce experiences, 4) build networks, and 5) launch new contributions to “In Good We Trust” in Denver in summer of 2010. This project, a new and radically ambitious cultural project, takes its cue from the energized civic life currently characterizing Denver and innovations currently underway across the Americas and globally. It will be organized through the principles of “proof and possibility”. We will present to the world the diverse creative practitioners that prove this movement is already active and we will catalyze the new possibilities they invite. It is my honor to serve as the first Creative Director of the Denver Biennial of the Americas and lead a vision of the program: In Good We Trust. Be Possibility,

Bruce Mau

Bruce Mau will be serving as creative director starting in 2010 and Denver will be the host city of the biennial every two years after.

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Monday, July 13, 2009

Pecha Kucha: Volume VI [with Bruce Mau]


In my inbox [Bruce Mau is coming to Denver--sweet!]:


Tuesday, July 21st, will be Denver's 6th volume of PechaKucha Night. The line-up of presenters is amazing - from Big Blue Bears to Biennials, furniture design to fashion, this round includes some of Denver's top local creatives along with a special guest presenter: Bruce Mau, Artistic Director for the 2010 Denver Biennial of the Americas.

Since it's summer, we're taking the show outside. We'll still be at Buntport Theater, 717 Lipan St., we're still asking for a $5 donation, and the show still begins at 8:20, but unlike PKN events in the past, this will be an OUTDOOR event. Please bring your own blanket or low-slung chair - larger chairs will be asked to move towards the back. Come at 8 and set up in the parking lot or grass outside the theater. Being outside will let us fit more folks than usual and you can camp out early to get a good spot. In the event of bad weather however, the event will be held indoors and seating will be limited, first come first served.


PRESENTERS:
Lawrence Argent: Artist & DU Professor, Argent Studios
Berger, Henry & Foehr: Design Team, cypher13
Charles Carpenter: Graphic Designer, EBD
Larabee & Thornton: Furniture Makers, DoubleButter
Scott Lary: Art Director & Sculpture Artist, Slary Design
Bruce Mau: Designer and Artistic Director, Bruce Mau Design Inc.
Ted Schultz: Architect, CTA Architects Engineers
Brandi Shigley: Dreamer & Doer, Fashion Denver
Ravi Zupa: Visual/Video Artist, Parts and Labor Union


PechaKucha FAQ:
What is PechaKucha Night? start here: www.pecha-kucha.org/
What's it doing in Denver? www.pechakuchanightdenver.com/about/
Who has presented in the past? we name-drop for each volume here: www.pechakuchanightdenver.com/
What about online social networking? totally. flickr / twitter / facebook


Please forward this email and the attached flier to family, friends, and colleagues.
If you have any questions let us know!


Your hosts,
Jaime and Angela

--
Angela Schwab and Jaime Kopke
PechaKucha Night Denver
www.pecha-kucha.org/cities/denver
www.pechakuchanightdenver.com

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Wednesday, July 08, 2009

ghost lab 11

photo by RShott on flickr

this year's ghost lab has been completed for about a week now, and through evidence at the Ghost 11 flickr Pool this year's lab was quite different from past projects. from the photos, what we can tell is that this year's ghost was a re-construction [and re-locating] of an existing structure onto the ghost village site. being an alumnus of ghost lab 8 ourselves, the documentation of these exploits in nova scotia are always a pleasure to view.

*Update*--here is an article briefly explaining how this year's historically significant ghost 11 came to be:

"...Granville Centre may have lost its Troop [family name] barn heritage landmark, but the 121-year-old octagonal building has found a new home.

Halifax architect Brian MacKay-Lyons bought the historic barn with its vertical faded red clapboard and cupola. Last month he had the barn dismantled, loaded on a truck, and taken to his farm in Kingsburg.

Catherine Pretty of MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects writes that the Troop barn will get a new life as part of the Ghost Architectural Laboratory, an intensive two-week design program currently underway in Kingsburg. For background, go to www.mlsarchitects.ca and click on Ghost.

Ms. Pretty says the barn will become a community building on the campus. When it’s finished later this year, the new/old Troop barn will be christened with a Lennie Gallant performance.

The Troop barn was built by William B. Troop in 1888, and is one of two surviving octagonal barns in Nova Scotia. The other one is in Old Barns, just outside of Truro."


we will leave you to discover the ghost photo set on your own. here are some more highlights of ghost 11:



photo by RShott on flickr

photo by RShott on flickr


photo by RShott on flickr

also linked from another fellow ghostie: with love and squalor

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