I missed out on the Coachella build this year with BambooDNA. We are a group led by Gerard Minakawa traveling the world building bamboo sculptures for rock concerts. Coachella is a giant outdoor music festival held near Palm Springs CA with Paul McCartney and the Killers headlining this year.
photo by Nils Hammerbeck
This is their most recent build which I unfortunately skipped out on. They built a 90ft high bamboo skyscraper and a little cluster of palapas for the rockstars to hang out in backstage.
Great job everyone. Way to represent! I bet if the wind is blowing just right the flame at the top extends the structure to the magic 100ft level. Ill be participating in at least one build this year- just to keep those improvisational skills sharp.
The opening was a SMASHING success!!!!! Lots of pics by Amy Ruppelhere. We counted 737 people through the front door and I estimate 200-300 came through the side and back doors for around 1000 total people. The energy level in the Ford Building was off the charts.
photo by John Paananen
People were digging the installation design by Lisa and Emily, the photography, and of course, the chaboos themselves. Without exaggerating, the reaction was beyond anything I have ever seen at an art show. People were simply blown away!
photo by Amy Ruppel
People were actually READING the bios. Despite the party atmosphere many people were intensely immersed in the bios.
photo by Amy Ruppel
My number one goal was to create a positive boost for the participants and also the community in general. Mission accomplished!
The Project Chaboo Show is right around the corner and we have been busy bees setting up. INSTALLING would actually be a more appropriate term… interior designers Emily Knudsen and Lisa Kuhnhausen have designed the exhibit as an installation. I tell people… its gonna be so beautiful we could forget to bring the chaboos and it would still be cool.
The morning started off hot with high efficiency thanks to overkill jigs built by Don Jensen. His jigs are also used on the space shuttle. This photo though… is staged- I told them to pose like they are doing something… but it looks like sara didn’t hear me.
She redeems herself here! 16 hours of duct taping paper to the ceiling by a bunch of tall guys and… walla!
BOOM! This show will blow people away. Go hard or go home baby…
Thank you to all the volunteers who helped out. Without you this project simply doesnt happen!
Lisa Kuhnhausen has designed a wonderful postcard for us! click on image to download PDF
She took some sketches I made when I was explaining my concept for the project long ago and turned them into this bubble like graphic. She really wanted to use typography like in this version below but I felt the bubble direction was more appropriate for my vision of the project. I want this project to create some positive vibes in these dreary economic times by connecting people and pulling together our collective energies.
I suggested we repeat the names/mediums of the participants and grey it out as a background texture to get some type in there. We put photos in to warm it up and really emphasize that its about the people.
I edited her original design while my brother did hours of work on the backend to make it actually happen. Thank goodness for Lisa and my brother Yuji- I literally couldn’t do it without them. I have ideas and I talk and drink tea. That’s all I can do… =P
Thanks for the excellent design work Lisa and for being such a good team player in the dictatorship known as Project Chaboo. Also, mad props to Yuji for executing all the technical stuff!
Believe it or not I actually do run a legitimate business besides Project Chaboo. To prove that, Im showing my stuff in a cute little wine bar in the pearl this Thursday.
Click on image for PDF
Come hang out, see my stuff, drink some wine, and be merry. There will be a special sneak preview of my reinterpretation of the Chaboo~
