Coming unmoored
July 23, 2006 3:58 PM   Subscribe

Maurice Agis is the creator of Dreamspace, a magical walk-through environment of color and light that has been enjoyed by thousands of people. It might be good to remember, though, that art can occasionally kill people.
posted by flapjax at midnite (17 comments total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
I visted this (or something very similar) in Edinburgh three years ago and was utterly horrified when I saw what happened to it on TV. It blew 30 feet up into the air.

I hope the three-year old will be ok.

.
posted by randomination at 4:05 PM on July 23, 2006


Weird that when I first heard this reported on the radio, the police described it as a bouncy castle. That footages is pretty terrifying.
posted by Orange Goblin at 4:43 PM on July 23, 2006


the inadequate moorings and lack of forsight is actually what killed people - not the art. That would be a damn freaky way to go though.
posted by wumpus at 4:45 PM on July 23, 2006


the inadequate moorings and lack of forsight is actually what killed people - not the art

Well, yeah... but, no, actually it WAS ultimately the art itself that killed people. I mean, it's like saying bullets don't kill people, people kill people. But if a bullet was fired, it IS the bullet that killed. In this case, the art was the bullet.

posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:14 PM on July 23, 2006


oops, I the whole thing... 2nd sentence of that last comment was mine, not a quote.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:41 PM on July 23, 2006


oops, I left out the word "italicized" in the last comment. I'm a mess today...
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:42 PM on July 23, 2006


Fearing a backlash, Brazilians across the country have gone into hiding.
posted by UbuRoivas at 7:16 PM on July 23, 2006


art kills
posted by lapolla at 7:56 PM on July 23, 2006


Fearing a backlash, Brazilians across the country have gone into hiding.

Oh, that's horrible, ubu.
posted by gsteff at 8:36 PM on July 23, 2006


Tragic deaths are horrible. It may not work for you, but I find that dark humour defuses the tragedy somewhat. I didn't mean to offend or show disrespect.
posted by UbuRoivas at 9:00 PM on July 23, 2006


Without wanting to derail, I didn't mean to imply that you were being offensive. And just in case anyone is wondering, we're referring to this.

Sounds like if it hadn't caught on the camera post, the accident could have been worse.
posted by gsteff at 9:18 PM on July 23, 2006


...art can occasionally kill people.


posted by cenoxo at 9:23 PM on July 23, 2006


The dreamspace that became a waking nightmare.

Maurice Agis' is joyous, and wonderful. He has to be horrified by the tragic deaths.

It's especially sad because his agenda as an artist is: Dreamspace is usually exhibited in public spaces away from the established centres of culture, extending the boundaries of artistic expression and confronting the culture of segregation. It brings art to the people and welcomes all individuals regardless of age, gender, ethnic/cultural background or personal beliefs, all visitors become participants - the person is the event.

It's really sad about the people who died. My condolences to their families.
posted by nickyskye at 9:30 PM on July 23, 2006


drat, Maurice Agis' art is...
posted by nickyskye at 9:31 PM on July 23, 2006


More information here.

Poor Mr. Agis was on hand to witness the deaths of the people, and of the art itself. Very rough.
posted by solipse at 10:39 AM on July 24, 2006


Thanks for the update solipse. That artwork had been all over for about 11 years without incident. It seems the artist himself was in the artwork at the time of the tragedy:

"They were among an estimated 30 children and adults, including the artist who created the Dreamspace installation, who were trapped as it rose above Chester le Street’s Riverside Park."
posted by nickyskye at 3:25 PM on July 24, 2006


There's a bit more video here,
and BBC followup here, which includes:

"Mr Agis' girlfriend, Paloma Brotons, told London's Evening Standard newspaper that the 74-year-old was himself dragged into the air while using extra ropes to tie down the inflatable because of the heat.

She said: "I saw him flying with it and I thought he was going to be killed. There was a team of us that helped to tie the structure to the ground. We even used more ropes because it was hot."

posted by flapjax at midnite at 4:23 PM on July 24, 2006


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