The Light Project » spencer-finch

Serving Sunset

Amy — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 23:27:30 +0000

The opening of The Light Project was the first night that the public was served Spencer Finch’s St. Louis sunset. The line for a cone was almost out the Contemporary’s front door.

http://www.vimeo.com/1673447

Beautiful Sunset

Amy — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 20:11:50 +0000

The color tests were successful.

Color Test, 9/02

Amy — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:14:41 +0000

http://www.vimeo.com/1653718

http://www.vimeo.com/1653742

http://www.vimeo.com/1653754

Solar Ice Cream Test

Amy — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 19:33:21 +0000

On August 25, we made ice cream again. It was done for the first time using solar power.

http://www.vimeo.com/1621742

http://www.vimeo.com/1621770

Going Green and Other Big News

Amy — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 21:44:34 +0000

http://www.vimeo.com/1575356

The solar panels that will energize Finch’s ice cream machine have been installed in front of the entrance to the Contemporary.

Also, the sprinkles have arrived.

Ice Cream Gets Temperature Taken

Amy — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 18:05:25 +0000

Some of you might be interested to know that when an ice cream machine is set, it has to be adjusted so that the ice cream it makes is at the right temperature. This ensures that the frosty treat has the most delicious amount of cool and consistency.

See here:

http://www.vimeo.com/1573796

Ice Cream Test

Amy — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 14:55:35 +0000

Tuesday afternoon, the ice cream machine for Spencer Finch’s Sunset (St. Louis, July 31, 2008) arrived, and we simply had to make sure it worked. Gallery attendants met with two representatives from Midwest Equipment to be trained on how to use the precious device. We made vanilla and were given some tips on perfecting the cone. Pulitzer and Contemporary staff filtered in for a taste. Seconds were had, and it was a joyous occasion. We might need to implement a jogging program before October.

http://www.vimeo.com/1621726

Curatorial Update: Mixing Colors and Ice Cream

Laura — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 20:11:16 +0000

Several weeks ago, Spencer Finch visited St. Louis to capture the colors of the sunset… (and to test out the newly purchased soft-serve ice cream machine at a distribution center that specializes in fat fryers and ice cream!). As the sun set, Spencer mixed colors from the Pulitzer’s wooded backyard park and quickly painted a series of watercolors as the sky changed. (He confided in me later, jokingly I suspect, that he’s devised this entire project as a ruse to paint watercolor sunsets). The result was a beautiful (and beautifully simple) series of abstract color studies.

From the watercolors, Spencer determined that the color of the ice cream would change over short periods of time—I imagine that the colors will move from golds to pinks to blues and grays… When Spencer returns to St. Louis, he’ll spend a couple of intensive days testing colors in the Contemporary’s café kitchen. From our magnificent visit to the ice-cream machine testing kitchen, we learned that with all the air created by the mixing and freezing of the ice cream, the color is diluted by almost 50%. It goes without saying perhaps that the color testing will be a rigorous endeavor!

More soon from me… We are very eager to see the solar panels up on the cantilevered concrete at the Contemporary, which will be installed on Monday!

The Installation Begins

Rachel — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 21:19:29 +0000

Spencer Finch’s artwork, Sunset (St. Louis, July 31, 2008), will consist of solar panels on the roof of the Contemporary building which will power an ice cream machine on the sidewalk. The ice cream will be the color of the St. Louis sunset and will be given away for free.

Keep checking this page to follow the installation of this project, read behind-the-scenes details, get neighborhood feedback, watch videos of the installation taking place, and more. This section will be regularly updated throughout the month of August, leading up to the opening of all four artworks in the Light Project on September 4th.