Sculptors:
Philip
Bews,
Diane Gorvin, Andrea Myklebust and Stanton Sears
Site: Stockholm
on the banks of the Mississippi USA
Date: September
2007
Description:
Andrea and Stanton invited Phil and Diane to travel to
their community to share skills, with the aim of
enabling them to start their own annual fire event.
After several months of planning and fund raising by
the Americans, and design work by us, we arrived in the
USA. Phil built a 45 foot long wooden Viking fire
sculpture using recycled and clean waste materials with
the aid of Stanton and his students. Diane and Andrea
created an installation of large paper lanterns in the
shape of fish (inspired by the native species of the
Mississippi River) at their sculpture studio and
through community lantern-making workshops at
Lake Pepin Art and Design
Centre.
The local people were involved in fund raising,
visiting the exhibition of Phil and Diane’s photographs
of their previous fire sculptures and attending slide
talks. Community members were encouraged to observe the
construction of the fire sculpture artwork in the
village park, and to participate by creating their own
lanterns for the event, which many did with around 20
fish lanterns being made. There was a buzz about
Stockholm and Pepin - with lots of people visiting the
fire site. The local businesses were very supportive
and they had a good increase in trade over the period.
Over 1,500 people took part in the celebratory burn
after daylong festivities, which included live music by
Combo Flambé, lantern displays, a procession of
fire-shapes and fire dancing by Illumination Fire Troupe
along
the shore.
Art+Fire Project Artists:
Phil
Bews and Diane Gorvin wwwbewsgorvin.co.uk,
Andrea Myklebust and Stanton Sears www.myklebust-sears.com
Jen Macklem and Kip Jones www.macklemjones.com,
travelled from Canada
Architect John Myklebust created
the lovely lighting design for the Viking Boat and
again here in Andrea and Stanton’s 2008
successful Art+Fire
Project.
