Event 1- GLOW Santa Monica

            At the beginning of the quarter, I went to Santa Monica pier and got to experience something that I’d never seen before and was happy to attend; GLOW Santa Monica. I had been to the Santa Monica pier several times since coming to UCLA but I had never seen the landmark like I did when I saw GLOW. GLOW was an all-night experience where artists decorated the pier with their original glowing commissions. The crowds were large and excited and the energy of the town was contagious.

            One of the first pieces I saw that night was Professor Vesna’s Octopus Mandala Glow (OMG!).  Although I did not participate in this commission, it was fun seeing the glowing headpieces of those that did participate. The pieces were impressive, covering the passengers from head to toe.

From far away I saw the glowing headpieces circling the ferris wheel. The ferris wheel is already a beautiful site on a normal day, but it was ice to incorporate the ferris wheel and make it into a spiritual and artistic experience as it was one of the largest glowing items that night as it is every night. The technology and art really came together in this piece to create a group mandala, that allowed people to express themselves individually within a unified structure, on the world’s largest solar powered ferris wheel.

            The smaller pieces hanging on the trees on the beach were some of my favorite pieces by Shana Koenig.

Each piece was so intricate and exhibited so much movement. The pieces combine art and technology by combining fiber optics, glass, LEDs, and crystals. The pieces each have a lot of detail and represent deep sea creatures one could find in the depths of the ocean. This video captures Koenig’s Solar Sea creatures in the beginning and Janet Echelman’s “The Space between Us” in the end. 

Overall the experience was a lot of fun and the spectacles were well worth navigating through the crowds. I am excited to attend this event in another 3 years.

Sources:

1. "About GLOW." n. page. Web. 11 Dec. 2013.  <http://glowsantamonica.org/about/>.

2. Cunningham , Lori. "What is a Mandala?." n. page. Web. 11 Dec. 2013. <http://www.mandalaproject.org/What/>.

3. "Glow 2013." n. page. Web. 11 Dec. 2013. <http://octopusmandala.com/>.

4. Koenig, Shana. "Solar Sculptures." n. page. Web. 11 Dec. 2013. <http://shanakoenig.com/>.

5. Tate, Laura. The Space Between Us Highlight at Glow Santa Monica. N.d. Video. Youtube.comWeb. 11 Dec 2013. <http://www.deliciousvoyages.com/the-space-between-us-highlight-at-glow-santa-monica.html>.