December 12, 2006

• Comme ça?
• Those things SING now? Good lord.
• Moss? It's a nice shade of green, usually. Recipe for "moss juice" Ingredients: - 5 lb block of potter's clay - jar of fish emulsion fertilizer - moss Cut potter's clay into cubes and soak in water until it becomes 'slip,' or liquid clay. Combine 3 parts clay solution, 1 part liquid fish emulsion, and 1 part moss in a blender. Liquefy. Paint over all cement objects where a moss-covered surface is desired. To clean the blender, fill a sink with hot water and detergent. Let the blender soak for two hours, then run it through the dishwasher. Keep painted concrete pieces in a cool, dark place. Within two months to a year, moss will grow on the objects.
• Moss Graffiti?
• Yes, like a chia pet. Only on a building. And a recipie.
• The thing I remember about my dear chia pet and what roryk also refers to is the need to create an environment that encourages that sort of growth. Which would, I guess, involve some kind of plastic enclosure for the spot if you are painting it on a wall or building.
• At first I thought algae; now I'm thinking photobacteria. Okay. A search for "bioluminescent art" brings up some cool stuff. It may not be what you're looking for: a soft blue glow that dies off after about two weeks. Bioglyphs Living Drawings The bioluminscence page Wikipedia on bioluminescence There should be something there which will help you get set up, or someone to contact.
• Cool. This is like those guys in [insert location] who draw designs on the pavements by cleaning them. Also, one of my Dad's first jobs for British Telecom in the 1950's (then GPO) was to spray a solution of manure on to new phone exchanges, encouraging moss and lichen to grow, so they blended in with existing buildings. Possibly a prank on the apprentice, but a nice idea nonetheless. Those now-obsolete exchange buildings are now desirable accomodation - local stone, solid wood floors, and plenty of power points.
• I want to see a piece done in the medium of toxic mold. The gallery could be stocked with filter masks and would be made in a temporary shed which could be demolished afterwards. Do you think some funding groups would give $$$ for this concept?
• The UK Arts Council is good at funding stuff that stinks.
• I fail to understand the graffitti-worshipping crowd. I was raised with the idea that one wasn't supposed to vandalize public or private property, and so far, I've managed to follow that ideal. So, is it that you don't consider it vandalism or destruction of public/private property (believe me, the so-called graffiti artists do not just restrict themselves to public property)? Or that you don't mind that your tax dollars are spent having to clean this stuff up? What?
• The talk about Chia pets puts me in mind of Bercy stadium. This has grass growing up the sides. They've used what looks like a fine acrylic mesh to keep the soil and grass attached to the sides of the building.