View the video of me talking about the Smiley Face Stonehenge.
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Recap from chapter 2: In the sad empty lot a happy town of rock buildings are created by the residents. But the evil owner comes and kicks them all down.
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Chapter 3: The Return of Fun
The carnage of stones lay scattered across the 2206 West Lawrence lot for months. The season turns to winter. Cold winter winds blow across the unloved rocks.
Then on November 20th, 2008, there is 20 minutes left on my 33rd birthday. I wish to extend the celebration of my birth onto this forsaken lot and give it a new life. A new creation is in order. One that will unify the rocks into one solid message.
I pick up each rock with care and reposition them on the linoleum ground. The rocks are bitterly cold, but they soon shall have the gleam of happiness and warmth.
A giant smiley face appears the round circle of the face evokes a feeling of Stonehenge. A smiley face Stonehenge, complete with a top hat, collared shirt and tie. A message of delight returns to the abandoned lot, re-instilling the community with a feeling of care, creativity, and fun. (Check out the video on Youtube.)
We don’t know what will happen to the Smiley Face Stonehenge, but so far it continues to sit and smile to this day. As developments happen, we will add new chapters to this story known as “What Chicago residents do with empty lots.”
Chapter 1: Buildings of Hope
Chapter 2: The Owner Strikes Back
Chapter 3: The Return of Fun
😀 good work.
He look a little bit like Mr. Peanut…maybe it’s the hat?
@sarah: thanks! I just wish i could have embedded the youtube video into this post. I think youtube took that feature away from us. Now they only give the option to embed videos into social networking sites like facebook, myspace, etc. Unless something crazy happens like they actually start construction (doubt it times five), I think the next creation will be something Andy Goldsworthy-esque. Ever since college, I’ve loved his work. @Eliana: It does look a little bit like Mr. Peanut! That’s hilarious! He needs a monocle. Does Mr. Peanut say anything? If he does, I need more rocks for a word bubble. OH! Maybe that would be good for another version. Just have all the rocks be one word bubble with a phrase. I wonder what it should say. My first thougth is: “WOW!”
I’d love for this empty lot to be used for the Olympic development committee. Empty lots are being used in Douglas Park for this purpose: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi090807oly-scott_wgfx,0,3344840.htmlpage