and landed in Oshkosh. I had been invited out there
to install another tinyvices.com exhibit at the University of Wisconsin.
Next to my hotel was a the Fox River, criss-crossed with
drawbridges. It runs from the Lake Butte des Morts (the lake of
ridge deaths?) into Lake Winnabago. Its a big fishing scene and
there was a huge fisherman's convention being held in my hotel.
The elevators smelled like fish. This little building was where
the drawbridge operator worked. After I took this photo he came
out and we started talking.
He was a retired fireman and had just started working part
time manning the bridge. He was very enthusiastic about the job
and invited me in to check out the newly renovated control room.
That's his old fire badge.
He watches these monitors for boats and cars. They
were new, and he said they expanded his range of vision from the booth
about 80%. The business of draw bridging is very precise and
highly technical.
The control board looked like a lego computer.
I was in Oshkosh for a full week, four days installing the
show and then three days talking to classes etc.. Here's some
photos from just wandering around...
There's the poster for the show. They were all over
town.
Distinguished teachers. I like how they have the
empty frames on the wall too.
Sept. 11th. This was a huge digital projection in
the student union where you could write comments from a computer
somewhere. What is with "Never Forget" being the slogan for
9/11? It is such an empty, redundant statement, like saying
'remember to remember'. And plus, who in the world is
forgetting? Is it directed at terrorists? Because don't you
think they are all saying "Good, don't forget, think about that shit
everyday..."
My hosts took me to a keg party at a collage house.
This was the view from the porch when it started pouring rain.
The goth/punk/metal/grunge kids showed up.
The house was split into two apartments, with the
thuggy/hip-hop kids downstairs and the hippy/musician kids
upstairs. It was very harmonious though.
