the plankman’s blog

And so few updates!

So aside from the past four months of madness since the last post, I decided to share a moment of paradise and tranquility in Sicily. Bethany and I went to Palermo (map) and Stromboli (map) for a 10 day return to our previous homeland. Aside from the obvious things - coffee tasting like little moments of caffeinated heaven; meals causing tears of joy based solely on hearing their titles being expressed in Italian; And other very important things too… But seriously - after food and coffee, its hard to see through the cloud of seretonin induced euphoria.

The photos are going to make you jealous.

People are using them, enjoying them, playing with them - and generally resulting a positive reactions all around. We are like proud dads. More photos will be uploaded when the paris experience slows down to a walking pace.

Our project mentioned in previous posts: Tuned Stairs was approved about 2 weeks ago for installation at Center Pompidou for the FABRICA: Les Yeux Ouverts exhibition between 6 October and 6 November 2006.

If anyone reading this is going to be in Paris between now and the 11th, let me know!
Pictures will follow soon…

Bethany and I went off to Puglia for a little well deserved rest and relaxation. We truly had an incredible time. One week in the middle of one of the most beautiful places I’ve been to in Italy. The people are friendly, and real. The food is totally insane. You can’t imagine how well we ate. I don’t see how its possible to beat the tastes I experienced in the heal of the boot of italy. Click the pics for more delicious visuals

Here are the pics of my fam in europe. Good times were to be had by all. One day I might even have the time to post the description of the trip! The quick story: met them in Paris, hit the canals in the South of France; watched Italy win the world cup; Headed to Treviso; and enjoyed some time together in the place I’ve called home for the last 1.5 years.

The pics link to images collected in Paris, both of family and art (particularly pay attention to the gorgeous frames!) And of course the pics from the canals themselves. It was a total pleasure having the family in Europe. I finally had the opportunity to show off my Italian skills ;-)

Hansi Raber, Federico Urdaneta, Carlo Zoratti, Andy Cameron & I finished installing the final prototype of our Tuned Stairs project which intends to take the every-day footfalls of visitors to the Pompidou Fabrica Exhibition - and convert them into something of a tinkly musical experience. Read more about it here. We’re not certain whether it will go in or not… But naturally we’ve only been working and reworking it for the last 6 months. So here it is for prosperity!

To set this up:

It ought to be loads of fun ;-)
We’re setting up an interactive installation at Paris’ fabulous Colette. Im so excited to acutally see a project Ive been able to work reaching its installed conclusion! I also expect it to be a slick installation. So if you’re in Paris, please come check us out!

Here are some of the more exciting things that have happened in the last few months:

- I officially have a lovely girlfriend named Bethany! She’s a beautiful young lady hailing from New York and working at Fabrica too! Daniel is in fact a very happy chappy as a result ;-)

- Bethany and I went to this fantastic old Villa near Udine. Villa Manin is a massive, gorgeous monument to the power of the area during the time it was built. It is now a contemporary art center… With an amazing sculpture park - combining super old plaster sculptures that have become embedded in the earth in the garden over time - with crazy colorful pieces of modern madness.

- There have been a number of interesting events here - one being the ALMOST PROTOTYPING of the next version of Glowbits. It was all on the cards - the research done, the proposals re-re-re-re-rewritten, the budgets scrutinized … and naturally - as with most things here at the Fab: The Plug Was Pulled. The only words that can express the feeling this gave me are: “rrrrrrr rrrRRRRRRrrRrRRRGGRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOWRRRRRR!!!!” hehehe … and so life goes!

- Had a fabulous easter “pasqua” experience in Bergamo Analisa and her family invited me and two other friends to their home where we feasted on magnificent easter foods… I’ve always heard talk from my italian friends about the magnificently full stomachs over the easter weekend…. Now I understand. It was wonderful! After the feast we spent some time in the old city of Bergamo - at the top of this hill. Quite gorgeous.

- Went to the Milano Salone di Mobile (Milan Furniture Fair) with Bethany and had a fantabulous time seeing really fascinating stuff… There is some magnificent intelligent design in the world… (And its not just a creationist theory ;-)

- Went to Amsterdam with Bethany where we met up with Taku and Vivian. It was sooooooo lekker to see them there. The Dutch are some of the friendliest Europeans I have ever come across. The number of random conversations we got into was phenomenal - and not because of the grass being smoked. ( most of them happened pre-grassy experiences!) I HEART Holland. Now to figure out how to go work there …. hmmmmm…

- Hans Steiner came to visit here in Treviso! (And so did Vivian for that matter) Last week we had so many guests! And this week, Eric and Judy have arrived for a short visit. When it rains, it pours, ya know?

And thats it for now. More soon…

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!
Im on my way to Bergamo to visit Analisa and her family for a genuine italian pasqua (easter) sunday. I am SO excited! But to add to my happiness and joy (despite waking up waaaay too early today), I decided to bring my computer on the train - and hoped for some power to keep my little baby alive. To my surprise: THERE WAS! So I can do some work on my sisters new website - currently still an old design

So I have power and can multitask and be all worky on the train. But then it hit me: I CAN GET ONLINE WITH MY 3G ENABLED MOBILE PHONE!!! OH joy joy joy! I may not ever wake up from this easter happiness.

daniel’s flickr library.

Im doing some of that non-linear posting again… The morning after I got home from my brief trip to SA for Rhona’s exhibition, I went straight to Viareggio with my Capoeira group! We joined another school associated with our group for some fun capoeira action during their famous Carnivale. Aside from the fact that I was so incredibly exhausted and literally CRASHED upon arrival - it was an awesome experience - especially when followed by the Uber famous Venice Carnivale the following weekend.

Suffice it to say we had a magnificent time - playing capoeira in the mad carnivale energy, and seeing the serious attitude people had to wearing ridiculous outfits ;-) My two favorite moments were: Seeing people dressed in their costumes riding their motorbikes in a frenzy to join the other crazies; and a group of five or so Elvis’ pushing their Elvis Shrine (very VERY drunk) The shrine was playing elvis tunes for the world to see. It was beautiful.