"To be an artist, is to never avert one's eyes."
~Akira Kurosawa
Homouroboros...
Isn't that monkey wonderful? Yeah... I thought so too! A couple weeks ago, on one of our jaunts into San Francisco during our vacation, we came to a stop on the Embarcadero, a few blocks down from the Exploratorium. The city is beginning to get it's autumn on, gold leaves were floating across the road, and that usually holds my attention firmly, but then something else kinda wonderful caught my eye! I saw, what looked like, flying monkeys! Alan couldn't see what I was looking at, as the Embarcadero has some odd angles to it, so he and I mused about what it might be instead, if I had been mistaken. I knew I wasn't wrong, but it was a fun car game all the same. Finally, the light turned green, and pretty soon Alan was saying... "Hey look, there are monkeys flying about over there by the Exploratorium!" LOL.
After a bit of Googling, I found out the the circular flying monkeys was actually an interactive work of public art called, Homouroboros, by artist, Peter Hudson. The zoetrope features 18 monkeys, which spin at 20 RPM, as the drums beneath them are beaten. The end result is the illusion that one monkey, not 18, finally reach the goal of a delicious red apple. It is especially striking at night, as the multicolored strobes add to the illusion. I love this piece! First of all, who doesn't love monkeys? But now add in all the science of how the art was created, and you end up with the coolest piece of art in San Francisco! In my opinion of course. But if you are in the Bay Area, and you haven't seen it yet, go see it... now! Homouroboros is scheduled to end on November 17th, although there is the possibility that it will be extended. You should check the website before you go!
Homouroboros...
Go see it! Interact with it! You know you want to! In the mean time, go visit the artist's website...
Peter Hudson
:)
Mood: Happy
~Me :)
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