Just in time for the 18th anniversary of Cotsen Children Library’s inauguration (Halloween of 1997) we have a high-flying new installation in the gallery. The previously blank white wall at the front of the gallery (just above our offices) is a little more lively now. With the introduction of a sky scene to Bookscape, complete with 8 wood fabricated kites and airbrushed clouds, we hope that the gallery feels fuller and more fun.
Now that everything’s up (whew!) you might be wondering how it all got there. Lucky for you, we meticulously documented the whole procedure:
It all started when we turned this pile of parts…
Into this 40-foot-tall mobile scaffold.
And of course all the features in the front of the gallery had to be removed (except for the exhibition cases with “Flying Machines!”
The kites had to be unboxed, touched-up, and assembled.
And finally, mounted and installed on the wall.
Though it was a lot of work, it was also a lot of fun. We’d like to thank (once again!) Judson Beaumont and his company Straight Line Designs for making our flighty ideas a reality with whimsical designs and custom fabrications. And none of it could have come together without the hard work and talent of Danielle Swift and Straight Line Design’s Ron Baldesancho.
We hope you enjoy the new addition to the Cotsen gallery! Drop in during our regular hours to see it for yourself! Don’t forget to take a peek at the exhibition “Flying Machines” too…
More kites on the Cotsen virtual exhibitions page