In the mid 80’s, we were given an opportunity to be in the Hudson’s Thanksgiving Parade. This was to be on national television, or at least a part of it was to be televised as part of a parade sweep around the US.Our Dean of Students, I believe, was given the job of organizing such an event, and we went to work dreaming up what we could do with no budget and it not making much sense to any of us but a great opportunity to be on a national stage.
A float was discussed, but the cost would be prohibitive. So, what does an art school do? A marching band made no sense for us, and what kind of thing worked? The AH-HA syndrome took effect and an idea was hatched.
We could do a moving painting!
Several banners, painted on canvas, moving down the street held by students, moving as a choreographed unit. This was a moving abstract work which changed images as the units moved from side to side and worked their way down the miles of the parade route.
Voila! A plan went into effect, and every morning the little bands of students walked the empty parking lots, marching with the help of a faculty advisor, working on a pattern. They held aloft (4-6 foot dowels on each end) large white panels of canvas, to be painted the days before the march.
Now along comes my dear friend Lothar Hoffman, graphic artist and world renowned calligrapher, entering the picture. One day, Lothar comes in to work early, and comes upon the marching students with the big banners.
Lothar escaped from East Germany before the wall was built, and valued freedom more than most of us. He was a patriot, a zealot. He arrives at school early, sees groups of unknown students with “pickets” flying, and is incensed! He decides to run them over with his vehicle, and almost succeeds but they see him coming!
He later understands that it was a peaceful art event and not angry picketers disturbing his life. We all laughed about it and the students were spared.
The paintings were completed, the parade happened, we made national television and the only problem was that the media never understood the moving painting concept, and made it clear that what we were doing was clearly unclear.
Voila! A plan went into effect, and every morning the little bands of students walked the empty parking lots, marching with the help of a faculty advisor, working on a pattern. They held aloft (4-6 foot dowels on each end) large white panels of canvas, to be painted the days before the march.
Now along comes my dear friend Lothar Hoffman, graphic artist and world renowned calligrapher, entering the picture. One day, Lothar comes in to work early, and comes upon the marching students with the big banners.
Lothar escaped from East Germany before the wall was built, and valued freedom more than most of us. He was a patriot, a zealot. He arrives at school early, sees groups of unknown students with “pickets” flying, and is incensed! He decides to run them over with his vehicle, and almost succeeds but they see him coming!
He later understands that it was a peaceful art event and not angry picketers disturbing his life. We all laughed about it and the students were spared.
The paintings were completed, the parade happened, we made national television and the only problem was that the media never understood the moving painting concept, and made it clear that what we were doing was clearly unclear.
I certainly remember Lothar, but this may have taken place after I left--by the mid-eighties I was in California for at least one year--84-85--then came back on a commuting basis. I probably missed all the fun.
ReplyDeleteI was there since 1984...How'd I miss this??? Lothar's a sweetie...This is a great story!---Linda M.
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