Swimming Cities of Switchback Sea (08/15-09/07 approx.)
Photo by Bree
Hylkema
It began three years ago as the Miss Rockaway Armada, a group of New York City area artists and assorted others who decided to travel down the Mississippi on very handmade rafts bedecked and festooned with art... equal parts continuous happening, Vaudeville happenstance, and Mark Twain gumption. The Mississippi has long been the Country's psychic dividing line between the past and the promise of the future. The highfalutin idea was to, "solicit dialogue around subversive and constructive ways of living." The impetus was to explore America outside of the bohemian boundaries of the NYC hipster arts milieu by taking it to middle America. The neat thing was that it was intended to be a two-way street. From all reports, Middle America gave as good as it got. Boundaries were blurred; social interactions occurred that would not have otherwise. Bohemia infected the broad banks of the Mississippi and the communities along the way infected Bohemia right back.
This year, the project was called the Swimming Cities of Switchback Sea. In August of 2008, the Hudson River was the canvas, from Albany-Troy all the way down to Brooklyn. Seven crafts floated down the river the Mahican confederacy called Muh-he-kun-ne-tuk. The boats were powered by alternate energy systems, which is where K.S.W. came in. We went Out East for three weeks! We restored an old paddle-wheel steamboat (see above). In New York, K.S.W.'s steamboat (arrived overland by truck) supported an enormous sculptural array installed by an artist named Swoon, the larger project's creative leader.
Speaking for the Bay Area, a powerful ethos behind the art we create is to build community and real connections between people. We welcomed this rare opportunity to collaborate with a new group of people, combining steam and art. Speaking of which, Art, it costs money, steam too. The water won't heat itself. Though the project is over, if you'd like to make a donation to help KSW defray costs associated with this project, we'd be very glad to accept it with our thanks.
August 17, 2008: The New York Times: A Floating City With Junkyard Roots. Julie Bloom writes about “Swimming Cities of Switchback Sea” and K.S.W. The article features a fantastic slideshow by New York Times photographer Nathaniel Brooks.
July
8, 2008: NBC11 (SF): Bay Area
Steamboat Prepares For New
York,
a short article on the steamboat restoration and great
video footage of the boat in the water, with crew
interviews, by Josh Keppel. The piece aired on the 6
o'clock news on July 10, 2008.
May 19, 2008: The Boston Phoenix: Steam
Dreams,
a long article on steam, art, and punks, by Sharon
Steel. KSW's Zachary Rukstela is interviewed (see p. 3),
as is Sean Orlando (see p. 4). It's one of the more
comprehensive articles that we've seen so far.
Featured Artist Collaboration: KSW &
Alan Rorie's
"Dihemispheric
Chronaether Agitator," in the artist's words,
"...a kinetic, 'steampunk' sculpture of a 'time machine'
that is powered by a real steam boiler and steam engine.
It was built in collaboration with my good friends at
Kinetic Steam Works. It was originally displayed at
the Edwardian Ball
in
2008."
