CREATING A WORLD FOR SKETCHBOOK…I MEAN CREATING 16 WORLDS FOR SKETCHBOOK

“The universe is made of stories, not of atoms.” - Muriel Rukeyser 

The challenge with a concept for Sketchbook is to create a world unto itself that contains smaller worlds that. At first, these smaller worlds may seem disparate, but slowly they move, and synthesize to create a whole universe – the experience. This larger world (theme) must allow, nurture, and manifest these smaller worlds (plays, visual art, music…) without impinging its identity upon them.

With this came the idea of parallel universes. If we’re to use the theory that there are an infinite number of parallel universes coexisting, then ALL possible stories (real or imagined) must, by definition, exist. Even the plays, which are fiction, truly exist in their own parallel universe. They have a past and a future and just happen to be wormholing thru our universe, through our dimension for one brief moment in the present that is Sketchbook. Sketchbook thus becomes a temporary vortex - opening up to any possible universe (play, piece of art, moment of music…) that may cross its path for one fleeting moment.

Parallel universes is exciting as a way to keep Sketchbook “grounded” but still have all possibilities present, however, before any of this concept came to me, I was constantly thinking/dreaming (literally) about spirals. When I thought of Sketchbook, I thought of spirals and only spirals.

No concepts.

No Parallel Universes.

No vortices.

Just whirling spirals.

Then, as I began to explore them in relation to Sketchbook, I began to think of them as the structure of so many objects in nature, a nautilus shell, versions of fractals, DNA sequence (well, that’s a helix really, but you get the point). More interestingly though, things really gelled when I thought of the spirals as energy, intention, perpetual whirling motion, metaphors for evolution/creation/destruction, and transformational conduits in the universe, i.e. vortices, whirlpools, galaxies, tornadoes, whirling dervishes, the smoke of a cigarette etc…

 “Now how does this all make the Steppenwolf Garage Space look?” you ask.

1. We must create a flowing, translucent, “2-D” world that becomes a place for all other worlds to pass through. By translucent, I mean that in order to create a “vortex” quality within the space we will need to create floor to ceiling 2-D sculptural shapes made of a translucent material. At one moment, there seems to be openness, and in the next moment, an environment/object focuses into existence. Observing an object in this world one way it appears 3-D, then you shift, it shifts, it disappears into a thin 2-D world.

2. The space should remain as open as possible with shimmers of light all around, small reflective objects hanging at different heights from floor to ceiling.

3. Set pieces are predominantly 2-D objects that fold away like a pop-up book. Cut out of large sheets of ½” ply and painted white they are present on the floor for the entire evening. People may even walk on them, but when the time comes for their transformation the run crew or actors pop them up. They’ll be whatever the play calls for, i.e. chair, table, bench, tree, dog… When the play finishes, we fold them back down.

--Sam Porretta, Scenic Design and Art Direction

 

Comments

[emily schwartz]

Congrats everyone on a great sketchbook opening! Three Cheers!(Looky-Loo. i'm commenting on the blog. It's very special.)

[Don]

who were the two guys with the toys last saturday night (june 16)? roth mobot? they were unbelievable! how do i book them? do they have a web site?

[anthony moseley]

hey Don. Sorry for the delayed reply, but somehow i wonder if you are not secretly plugging ROTH MOBOT...!!! hmmmm............ ( i loooooooooove ellipses.........)

Yeah, they are frontiersmen of the great sonic wilderness and a truly unique and wonderful Chicago phenomena.

You can contact them through http://www.rubbermonkey.org/rothmobot/

robot on,

anthony