Festival Features Gallery We will show art as large projections on several unique, specially constructed structures. Imagine walking through a vibrant festival atmosphere at night and seeing multiple screens presenting an array of large images. In some instances, the showing will be accompanied by the artist with a microphone providing live commentary on his/her work. This is a very different approach than most art festivals with some exciting features and benefits. Benefits • low cost • easy to participate, from any part of the globe, just send a CD of images, or email jpg's • no paper to get wet, glass to break, heavy frames to ship and insure • allows for enlargement of image to huge proportions, for all to see • nothing to send back to artists • digital media is easily incorporated into ABAF 2007 DVD/website • allows artists to send hundreds of images instead of a dozen or so • integrates easily with other artist’s work In the American Body Arts Festival field there will be a variety of structures erected. which will feature a nightly display of gently changing images, beginning at dusk, and continuing into the night. This will be visible to people going to and from the roundhouse, the most visited place after dark. We have several means by which we can project images, which will be triggered from a central computer. Additionally, there will be special presentations made by select artists who will show a collection of their work and provide commentary about it as it is displayed in a slideshow/lecture format. Architecture One of the festival’s unique features will be the outdoor gallery/display/lecture domes. These structures have been designed and constructed for use in our festival to showcase artist’s work in a new and exciting way. The substrate that comprises the dome’s exterior skin is a kind of nylon/plastic that is conducive to light, both light coming from the sun from the outside in the daytime and light coming from the inside (via a projector) at night. This allows it to function as a “screen” upon which to project images, the reason that artists can submit work via a CD of their images. The “no frames” gallery concept minimizes display expense and maximizes viewing area for those in attendance. Additionally, one structure will serve as a staging area for lectures, live painting and other events. Postcard Gallery Mail art is it’s own genre and there is a community of artists that go all out, creating incredible artworks that are meant to be sent through the postal system. One of the ways to inspire participation from people, both here in America and abroad involved at low cost/low effort is to have a postcard gallery. We've put out a call for submissions for art on a postcard (consistent with our theme), and receive work from many sources. This also introduces the possibility for one-of-kind funky hand-done pieces that will be fun and interesting. These will be posted in a communal area for general viewing and enjoyment. Guinness World Record Attempt, II On July 21st, 2006, we successfully bodypainted 337 people. Guinness World Records states that the previously existing record for "most bodies painted" was 254. This summer we will be surpassing our own record. Some improvements over last year’s activities will be implemented to make the event more streamlined and more fun. These will include: • The Process - This year we will refine the manner in which people actually get painted by employing several Hollywood techniques including compressors and sprayers for the base coat, leading into another station that applies a first level of detail then a second, finer detail station. This should save us a lot of time and also produce a better overall look. • Bodypaint games - We will invent activities for people to enjoy after the actual act of being bodypainted to keep them busy while others are still getting painted and to attract attention and interest generally (still in development). • Fun ways to clean up - We will be thinking of a variety of ways to make this a smoother, faster, more enjoyable process as well. One huge improvement would be just to have warmer water. Another idea is to have sprinklers and a water slide available as water games for the participants. This will allow them to get 90% of the paint off in an easy, fast and fun way. The Living Mandala One of the unique opportunities available for the festival is to create an art image using hundreds of colored people. Last year we created a stunning mandala design. We will continue with the radial geometry for the Living Mandala with the addition of an additional project - the creation of a large image made up of all the painted participants photographed aerially. Baring Witness, a San Francisco-based peace activist group, has demonstrated that messages and images of a similar nature (in their case, often created with nudes) have the ability to inspire millions around the globe. If the image is universal and powerful enough, it will go “viral” over the internet and get spread around the planet many times, getting us a great deal of visibility. We are considering an image of the Earth as just such an image (and not one that’s been done before). Classes/Workshops Mark of the Soul Communicating History, Culture, and Identity through Bodypainting Tribal cultures from all ages and all parts of the world have used bodypaint and other markings to communicate essential information about themselves and their people. Bodypaint was used for marriages, wartime, death rites, spirit communication, healing, the passage into adulthood and many other important life transitions and stages. In this program, we seek to gain a greater understanding of bodypainting as an illustration of humankind's journey to express itself. Painting People Purple A Hands-On Bodypainting Workshop This is a hands-on workshop where we focus on teaching the techniques of bodypainting and making it easy and accessible enough so that everyone can do it. We explore color, pattern, line, texture, contrast, and decorative elements. tools and equipment such as brushes, paints, sponges and other materials are discussed. Emphasis is placed on the participant finding their own unique way of expressing themselves and transferring that into a successful and enjoyable adventure into bodypainting. A large part of the workshop period is spent with the participants painting a partner, learning techniques through firsthand experience. Explore My Soul With Color A Bodypainting Workshop for Couples Having your partner paint the secret garden of your soul on your skin is an extraordinary experience. It can be intimate, liberating, confirming, sensual, transformative, and beautiful. You may find that you discover your partner all over again! The cooling sensation of the brush tracing new contours over your bodies and the delight of having your partner create a unique, loving expression of beauty to share with each other is a kind of soul alchemy that can have wondrous and profound effects. Treat the one you love to this one-of-a-kind experience!