Hudson River Armada
It began three years ago as the Miss Rockaway Armada, a group of New York City area artists and assorted others who decided to travel down the Mississippi on very handmade rafts bedecked and festooned with art... equal parts continuous happening, Vaudeville happenstance, and Mark Twain gumption. The Mississippi has long been the Country's psychic dividing line between the past and the promise of the future. The highfalutin idea was to, "solicit dialogue around subversive and constructive ways of living." The impetus was to explore America outside of the bohemian boundaries of the NYC hipster arts milieu by taking it to middle America. The neat thing was that it was intended to be a two-way street. From all reports, Middle America gave as good as it got. Boundaries were blurred; social interactions occurred that would not have otherwise. Bohemia infected the broad banks of the Mississippi and the communities along the way infected Bohemia right back.
In August of 2008, the Hudson River will be the canvas, from Albany-Troy all the way down to Brooklyn. Seven crafts are scheduled to float down the river the Mahican confederacy called Muh-he-kun-ne-tuk. The boats will be powered by alternate energy systems, which is where K.S.W. comes in. We're going Out East for three weeks! We've been hard at work restoring an old paddle-wheel steamboat (see above). In New York, K.S.W.'s steamboat (arriving by truck) will support an enormous sculptural array installed by an artist named Swoon, the larger project's creative leader.
Speaking for the Bay Area, a powerful ethos behind the art we create is to build community and real connections between people. We welcome this rare opportunity to collaborate with a new group of people, combining steam and art and community.
March 9, 2008: KPFA, 94.1, hour long interview: "Guests Andrew Johnstone, project leader of Burning Man Google Earth & "esteamed" artists Zachary Rukstela, Sean Orlando and Tom Sepe join host Jane Heaven for an exploration of Kinetic Steamworks, Steampunk Treehouse and the SteamPunk motorcycle "The Whirly Gig Emoto" (live!) and more."
Featured Artist Collaboration: KSW & Alan Rorie's "Dihemispheric Chronaether Agitator," in the artist's words, "...a kinetic, 'steampunk' sculpture of a 'time machine' that is powered by a real steam boiler and steam engine. It was built in collaboration with my good friends at Kinetic Steam Works. It was originally displayed at the Edwardian Ball in 2008."
February 12, 2008: BoingBoing TV Features K.S.W.
February 6, 2008: KSW and The Steampunk Tree House on NPR's All Things Considered.
February 1, 2008: KSW's own Sean O. and John Manyjohns are interviewed by the Aether Emporium (a steampunk zine) on several topics including the past, present, & future of steam & art, as well as the steampunk movement's state of the art and place in society. According to Sean, you'll be pleased to know, our future may lie in renewable bio-fuels such as eco-harvested "naturally beach deceased seals." Read all about it, "KSW & The Steampunk Tree House."
January 24, 2008: BoingBoing TV Features the Steampunk Tree House
Photos from the
Edwardian Ball are here.
