Comments on: Coming unmoored

Coming unmoored

flapjax at midnite — Sun, 23 Jul 2006 15:58:09 -0800

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.

By: randomination

randomination — Sun, 23 Jul 2006 16:05:23 -0800

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. .

By: Orange Goblin

Orange Goblin — Sun, 23 Jul 2006 16:43:11 -0800

Weird that when I first heard this reported on the radio, the police described it as a bouncy castle. That footages is pretty terrifying.

By: wumpus

wumpus — Sun, 23 Jul 2006 16:45:45 -0800

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.

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Sun, 23 Jul 2006 17:14:45 -0800

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.

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Sun, 23 Jul 2006 17:41:07 -0800

oops, I the whole thing... 2nd sentence of that last comment was mine, not a quote.

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Sun, 23 Jul 2006 17:42:01 -0800

oops, I left out the word "italicized" in the last comment. I'm a mess today...

By: UbuRoivas

UbuRoivas — Sun, 23 Jul 2006 19:16:50 -0800

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

By: lapolla

lapolla — Sun, 23 Jul 2006 19:56:07 -0800

art kills

By: gsteff

gsteff — Sun, 23 Jul 2006 20:36:08 -0800

Fearing a backlash, Brazilians across the country have gone into hiding. Oh, that's horrible, ubu.

By: UbuRoivas

UbuRoivas — Sun, 23 Jul 2006 21:00:10 -0800

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.

By: gsteff

gsteff — Sun, 23 Jul 2006 21:18:54 -0800

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.

By: cenoxo

cenoxo — Sun, 23 Jul 2006 21:23:46 -0800

...art can occasionally kill people.

By: nickyskye

nickyskye — Sun, 23 Jul 2006 21:30:32 -0800

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.

By: nickyskye

nickyskye — Sun, 23 Jul 2006 21:31:15 -0800

drat, Maurice Agis' art is...

By: solipse

solipse — Mon, 24 Jul 2006 10:39:50 -0800

More information here. Poor Mr. Agis was on hand to witness the deaths of the people, and of the art itself. Very rough.

By: nickyskye

nickyskye — Mon, 24 Jul 2006 15:25:40 -0800

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."

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Mon, 24 Jul 2006 16:23:28 -0800

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."