Signs and Buildings. Buildings and Signs.

As things unfolded, and as other things outright unraveled, I decided to increase the robusticity (a derivative of robusto, so just cool your jets) of the installation for Dutiful Citizen.  That basically meant I had to go into overdrive to finish what buildings and signs I have started (for a different show/project) in time for the show.

The studio, which could rarely be described as being clean, looked like the staging area for some kind of D-Day invasion if Dr. Seuss was the five-star general in charge.

A pretty straight forward process really.  I build the shells out of cardboard.  Cover the outside with fabric. Paint the fabric to stiffen it up.  Fill the insides with expanding spray foam. Jam a stick into the foam while it is still goey/sticky (and boy is it sticky....). Do a little extra fabric work to secure the stick(s), and then finish the surface (either with paint and/or Spackle and paint).

Here are some buildings at the: 'fill-with-foam-and-jam-a-stick-into-them-stage' (highly technical stuff).

After a couple of primed layers, it's time to add a dark base color.

The signs receive the same treatment.

They are 'finished off' with a thinly applied coat of gray paint which shows off the texture of all of the bricks, and fabric used to make the building.

Here are a few shots from Dutiful Citizen.....

...Some of the stick structure in front of Domain....

...Buildings, Signs, the sculpture Trojan Horse, and the wall pieces Swan Dive Bomber, and Tower Of Janus in the background....

...Part of Trojan Horse and a sign in front of Mr. Falcon Finds A Stranger In The Alps....

...The masks on top of Trojan Horse in the foreground with Carnival peeking out from behind....

...A staircase leading to the newest piece in Dutiful Citizen, The Transitive Property Of Yesterday...

...And the Man.  Chuck Morris.  Should I say 'Jute Master Chuck'?  'Jute Master C'?  This guy spent nearly 10 hours (not a typo) binding all of the joints with Jute.  I must give a profound and heart-felt 'thank you' to Chuck Morris for all of his help in setting-up Dutiful Citizen.  I am pleased to also thank Wayne Frantzen, and Steve Saller for all of their tireless help in making this show happen.  Thank you, gentlemen.

Next time we'll take a behind-the-scenes peek at what it took to hang my painted constructions.