“World Stage” performance at Flux 12, Downtown Pittsburgh, summer 2005. Photo by L. Rippel.
Detail of work in progress, World Stage. L. Rippel
The FLUX series of late-night art parties in massive vacant industrial buildings were a major part of the Pittsburgh art scene ten years ago. Developed by Traci Jackson, the one-day events featured a mix of visual arts, films, bands, theatrical performances and lots of beer. For FLUX 12 (held in the former Art Institute of Pittsburgh facilities, Penn Avenue, Downtown) I created a junk model of the world, decorating it with illustrations of polemical issues. As I jumped from one end of the sculpture to the other, I touched on destruction of the Amazon rain forest, pre-emptive missile strikes and other current issues involving U.S. consumption and policy (and resulting ripple effects throughout the world). As I completed one side, visitors moved in to view new developments.
Tom Sarver 