BLINK 2022
Lighting Up Cincinnati, OH & Covington, KY
The BLINK experience creates an outdoor awe-inspiring event that promises large-scale projection mapping, murals, and interactive light sculptures from around the globe.
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Video Credit by AGAR
Looking back this Fall, Building 180 was beyond excited to have a role in helping BLINK light up the city streets of Cincinnati, OH, and Covington, KY with LED sculptures, inflatable art, murals, and projection mapping. This unique and public art event was a world-class destination over the weekend of October 13th-16th!
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“Rainbow Bridge” by Looking Up Arts
BLINK is the nation’s largest immersive event, spanning 30+ city blocks from Findlay Market in Cincinnati to Covington in Northern Kentucky. This awe-inspiring free, public art event takes place over four nights in the urban core of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky with large-scale projection mapping, media light, interactive light sculptures, murals, and more by local, national, and international artists. The event draws more than 2 million visitors and is quite a sight.
We first had the pleasure of working with the amazing BLINK team in 2019 when we brought the “Rainbow Bridge” by Looking Up Arts to their river bank. The traveling exhibit known famously for being at Burning Man was created by San Francisco-based artists Josh Zubkoff and Srikanth Guittikonda.
This year we were lucky enough to bring three artists and four installations to the event.
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Parastella by Christopher Schardt
This mesmerizing LED sculpture consists of a disc of LEDs 20’ in diameter. Approximately 14,000 LEDs in 48 spokes light up the ceiling in patterns generated from Hubble photographs, videos, and computer algorithms. The patterns are accompanied by classical music, creating a mesmerizing setting in a comfortable space, inviting visitors to relax and contemplate. It was quite an amazing experience to watch people lay in wonder beneath the dancing lights and to experience the magic that is Parastella.
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Entwined by Charles Gadekan
Entwined is a grove of five Africa-inspired trees with raised root tangles to climb and nestle into and a canopy of light cubes with interactive programming. It is a place to gather under shade during the day and to play at night. Entwined is purposely large and welcoming, with intentional space to support many people gathering together. These trees are meant specifically to be climbed upon, creating a direct physical interaction with the piece of art. It is a place for meeting, gathering, talking, and interacting. Entwined will draw people in at night and entrance them to stay beneath the waves of light in the jungle gym of roots, creating another social space. Meeting new people and telling them about your personal experience is an important aspect of the festival's social environment. With Entwined, we seek to foster and inspire such interactions. The structure of Entwined invites everyone to interact with it and those around you.
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Clouds by Inflatabill
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BeeLine by Inflatabill
Clouds & BeeLine by Bill Kennedy aka Inflatabill
Bill was introduced to the field of inflatable art in 2001, but he has been working with the same materials and techniques since the early 90s. Back in the day, he had a very expensive skydiving habit, and he found that he could make a living in the sport as a parachute rigger. So, after some training, traveling, and testing, he became certified by the FAA to pack, maintain, and repair parachute systems, earning the title of Senior Parachute Rigger, or in other words, a parachute mechanic. This is where he learned to sew ripstop nylon, which is the primary fabric he uses to make his balloons, and it is also where he learned some of the principles of three-dimensional design. Unlike the round parachutes of the past, today’s ram-air parachutes are actually self-inflating, three-dimensional airfoils that fly more than they fall. They are also made to be very strong, of course.
Our team explored the event together and made connections that will last forever. It was a smooth installation and a rewarding experience to be part of. We are grateful for everyone involved in making BLINK an epic event that we will never
forget. Looking forward to the next one.
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS: AGAR
BIG THANKS TO: BLINK, The Cincinnati City of Commerce, All of the truck drivers and installers, and to the amazing artists involved. Also, a big thanks to everyone who ventured out to experience the festival.
IG: @blinkcincinnati @building180 @inflatabill @charlesgadeken @christopherschardt
THANK YOU!
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EMAIL US at info@building180.com