01/07/10 continued
So, installation complete, I get to check out the town and traverse up and down the main road and piazzas; along to Piazza Torino and back to Piazza Galimberti with some side street detours and finally decide a glass of vino is required.
The wine is delicious and refreshing although in a thimble size measure it looks like a child’s portion. The waitress brings snacks but they look too dry and meaty so I pass and write some more.
Checking in on the installation, I see its still in full flow. A member of the Zoo team points out my text panels are up. We go and see and unfortunately they’re the wrong way around so I have to be an awkward artist and ask to swap them around. The installations around the park are beginning to take shape and I’m excited about the opening and live events scheduled later.
Pop into another bar for more vino bianco frizzante and this time it’s olives for nibbles so I’m happy.
It gets on to 7pm and think I should head back for a final check.
I meet the aliment(e)azione from Sardinia and there is Elisa who has a striking resemblance to Rosie. There is also Luigi who speaks a lot of English and kindly translate a lot for me. We go for a beer and I find the Sardianians enjoy a drink also! They have produced a piece for the festival called Bird Watching which is cool. It consists of 4 watchtowers with binoculars and accompanying these are the collective handing out wee booklets with instructions on the back. Eduardo translates: that I get to keep the elastic band, map and pen; that I should look through the binoculars and write/draw what I see in the booklet. He laughs that they have chosen an English title but have no English translation of the instruzioni.
I draw a scribbled crowd which I see when the 2 Michelas are giving their speeches that I cannot understand much of at all.
I also trip over a sneaky text panel on a stick which has disguised itself amongst the trees. It came of the worse and looks a bit sorry for itself and I try to rectify but fail.
It’s rained, causing minor panic, but it’s cleared the air and not only is a few degrees cooler but feels much fresher and I’m not melting into the seat any more.
The performer of the evening’s live art event is dressed as a black latex gimp and is getting the visitors to blow up yellow balloons (!) and write what they find anger in onto the balloon surface. I draw an aeroplane in the marker pen and am asked to destroy it. I jump on it and it pops loudly.
