Thank Tank 2008, a no budget gathering of activists, architects, artists, and musicians bring performance, celebration and conversation to the public realms of Echo Park, Los Angeles on December 13th and 14th 2008.
Eighteen-thirty, Michael G. Bauer, Alison Kudlow and fellow collaborators once again join to organize the second annual Thank Tank 2008. The nature of Thank Tank 2008 is decentralized and takes place in public. We intend to engage a diverse and intergenerational audience. Considering our trying financial times Thank Tank attempts to create a public platform for artists with no financial overhead and minimal resources.
The project plans to utilize marginal public spaces around the Echo Park and downtown Los Angeles vicinity. We intend to activate street corners, neighborhood homes, parks and parking lots in an ad hoc and celebratory manner through public performance, and conversation. Thank Tank 2008 will exist first as a mobile group which will convene, part and reconvene in four to five locations with 4-5 performances during the first day. The second day will take place in Elysian Park and feature a one day exhibition. We asked our varied group of participants to address the following questions as they see fit when considering their contributions:
1 What is the freedom gradient/where?
2 Who's responsibility is the public space?
3 How can creative approaches to space get us closer to an infinitely creative world?
Noon: Introduction at Ms. Donuts (1353 Glendale Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90026) by Light and Wire, Michael G. Bauer, eighteen-thirty and Alison Kudlow. 1:00: Led over to corner of Alvarado Blvd. and Sunset Blvd. by The Mormons to observe and participate in Megan Daadler's Stranger Portraits: Not Your Average Tourist Photo. 1:45: Secret Barter Mart by eighteen-thirty under Glendale bridge. 2:15: Walk down Glendale to Echo Park Lake (grass area) and meet Fallen Fruit. 3:15: Walk along to south side of lake for Mecca Andrews' dance performance on a paddleboat. 3:45: Continue walking along lake up to Lemoyne alleyway for "opening" of alley installation with found objects with Alice Clements. 4:25: Bus ride over to Silverlake Blvd. and Sunset Blvd. Instadance performance on bus with Alexis Lantz. 4:40: Piazza del Tomas: Daveed Kapoor and Will Wright will conduct a discussion at Tom's Burgers on urban renewal and community designed public spaces on private property.
Events at Elysian Park
Noon: Food. 12:30: Intro and discussion with artists exhibited, moderated by Light and Wire. Discussion about future alternatives. 1:45: Alison Kudlow, Karen Lee and Jenny Yurshansky present Greenus Graffitia. 2:00: Oscar Santos, acoustic dance experiment. 2:30: Conclusion of Secret Barter Mart. 3:00: Ryan Lieu, Thank Tank Protest: "DON'T LET THESE HIPPIES TAKE OVER ECHO PARK! JOIN THIS PUBLIC PROTEST AGAINST THINKING ABOUT PUBLIC SPACE!" 3:30: Kathryn Hargreaves Pull Your Own Weight. 4:00: Talk by Anna Kochesberger: Basic Urban Survival (and/or how not to kill or hugely inconvenience yourself and others). 4:45: Closing with John Kim and participants. John plans to hold a crit with everyone involved and make that process visible to the public, "I think it can benefit both the artist and the public. It will be more like a dialogue of afterthought. . . hopefully cheerful and constructive".
***Photographs by Mandy Moran***
