Lessons Learned
Concept Counts for a Lot
This piece was successful based almost purely on its concept, rather than its execution. Although its presentation was certainly functional, its appearance was decidedly lo-fi. I'll grant that the lo-fi look, may have given it personality, or made the space seem more accessible, or comfortable, or something, but I'd hate to hear a professional art critic discuss its aesthetics! A good concept, functionally implemented, goes a *long* way, especially in an interactive installation meant to be experienced. Combine it with top-notch aesthetics, and you might just have the makings of a masterpiece -- but based on this piece, I wouldn't know much about that!
Know Your Knots
When 600+ pounds of weight has tightened the granny knots in your installation's ropes, you will not be able to remove them... ever. Learn to tie the right knots, and they will not only hold tight, but release when you need them to.
Involve Your Audience (With a Logbook, Perhaps?)
I provided a pen and a log book entitled "You've gambled and won, now what?" with The Gambler Hammock as a last minute idea. In the end, reading the responses it was filled with turned out to be, by far, the most gratifying part of the project. I had no idea how many people this song touched, and in so many different unique ways, or how happy people would be to relive those moments. (Heck, maybe they were just happy to be in a shady, comfortable hammock, instead of the searing desert sun?) My favorites entries were by people who attributed the song to their parents, with funny and nostalgic stories attached about that.
Richness By Association
By using a popular song, this piece, by association, unleashed all of the rich power and impact of that song's historical zeitgeist. If this piece, or its original inspiration, had featured an unknown song, it would neither have been inspired, nor enjoyed nearly as much. See Logbook, above, because through the logbook this was plainly obvious. Maybe there was so much activity there because of the LOVE / HATE polarization this song seems to cause (I fall squarely into the LOVE camp), but it is clear that with a lesser known song, the installation would have been way less appreciated, or inspired.
Sound Art Can Be Relentless
Just ask the people camped next to us. The assembly of the project, and much testing/lounging took place in camp, before its eventual installation far from town. As such, it would be a gross understatement to say that *many* people became *very* familiar with The Gambler. In fact, at dawn, an entire neighboring camp showed up one morning and performed the song on acoustic instruments, singing the entirety of the lyrics by heart, drumming on pots and pans, before politely hinting that it might be time to install the piece elsewhere. Sound art can be relentless, no matter how charming the sound. Be aware of your sonic footprint as you prep, and deploy your piece.
You've Got To Know When To Fold-'Em!
I had to say it!
