Friday, April 8, 2022

The Nightly News


The school where I work each year brings in an "innovator in residence" -- or, in the case of this year, two innovators.* They've been on campus for several weeks now, talking to students, teachers and parents and creating an artwork that is custom-made for our school community. I finally had a chance to go see it yesterday.

It's called "The Nightly News," and it's installed in a sort of indoor/outdoor courtyard. (It has a partial roof, but it's basically an outdoor space.) The installation focuses on dreams, and consists of dreams that people have written down, projected onto a colored screen with colors that shift and a sort of dreamy musical audio track.




Hopefully if you click on the pictures to enlarge them, you'll be able to read the dreams. I chose these pretty much at random. The color should ideally be a little more intense on the projected screen, but it was very windy yesterday, and the blackout tarps on the right side of the roof (which is glass) had been torn so light was getting in.

There are also cards available where people can write down their own dreams:
 

Can you guess which one is mine?

It's a very cool installation, and I'd like to go back and spend a bit more time there -- but it closes today so I'm not sure I'll have a chance. We'll see what the day brings!

*I'm being vague with names to keep my blog out of people's Google search results, but if you follow the link, the artists are named there.

51 comments:

Anonymous said...

I doubt many school children would know much about Richard Nixon. That must be yours. You dreamt it but there is truth in dreams.

Frances said...

The red one? How is Olga today?

River said...

it doesn't look like something that would interest me.

Ed said...

Reminds me a lot of https://postsecret.com/

Bob said...

What a nice idea. I think it might make the students, and the adults, realize that all of our dreams are kinda the same.

You dreamt Nixon was your father? Dream? Nightmare?

Debby said...

Richard Nixon? My gosh. Whatever you ate before bed, don't eat that again.

Colette said...

Oh, I hope the Nixon was was yours. Hilarious. I like the idea of this installation.

Angelicastar said...

Whatever you ate before you went to bed on that dream didn't agree with your brain cells instead of your tummy. Don't tell anyone else. especially your family and not your sister when you go to Florida. if you do she probably won't let you use her car. put that dream back in pandora's box.(you have me giggling very hard this morning

The Bug said...

That is hilarious about Richard Nixon. I love the installation - a very interesting idea.

Ms. Moon said...

Dreaming that Richard Nixon was was your father is not that crazy. Presidents are father-figures in a way and you must have been a very young boy when he was president. But still- a sort of nightmare.
That art is the kind of thing that I think is very cool but at the same time wonder...really?

Ellen D. said...

Strange dream for you, Steve. Did the students like this exhibit?
Have a wonderful trip! do you fly out tomorrow?

Moving with Mitchell said...

Very cool and powerful. Richard Nixon! And to think THAT used to be my worst nightmare. Chuck cracked up when I read your postcard sign-off from you and the queen!

NewRobin13 said...

I see that other commenters here guessed the Richard Nixon dream. That seems right to me too.
Really interesting exhibit.

ellen abbott said...

I hope you get time to go back. Dreams are so interesting. Cool installation.

Wilma said...

My favorite dreams are the ones where I am swimming in the sea and can breath underwater. Watch out for Nixon! And beans. And pigs. And nuclear war.

ellen abbott said...

Speaking of dreams, I just remembered a little snippet where I met your Dave. He was a nice guy, we got along.

ellen abbott said...

I had a dream like that when I was a kid. It was so real I actually thought I could breathe underwater when I woke up. Needless to say, I never really tried to breathe underwater.

Sharon said...

How interesting and creative. Did you dream that Nixon was your father? I like the dreams where I can fly.

Jeanie said...

Don't leave us hanging. My vote is for Richard Nixon too. I love the idea of the innovators in residence and the kids doing this. It sounds like a very good school!

Boud said...

Dreams are endlessly interesting as a source of ideas. Ir maybe a repository of ideas

Mage said...

I liked this idea a lot.

Margaret said...

That's a fascinating exhibition. I would rather have Nixon for a father than Trump, but that's not saying much. Dreams are weird.

Catalyst said...

If you dreamed that your real father was Richard Nixon, that's not a dream. It's a nightmare!

Kelly said...

What a fun (and interesting) exhibit! From everyone's responses, I'm assuming yours is the Nixon dream (which just makes me laugh!), though I also could see it being the one about fighting seventh graders in the hallway.

Edna B said...

I'm not understanding what all the black covered pillows are about. I don't think I could express just one dream. Enjoy your day, hugs, Edna B.

jenny_o said...

Like nearly everybody else, I'm going to guess your dream was the one about Nixon. It's not the content, it's the handwriting and the placement (on top)! Signed, Jenny the Sleuthing Donkey

David said...

I wish my school had such interesting and creative projects when I was young. But back in the day (too long ago to count now but lets say more than 50 years) all we did was English, maths, history, biology and similar academic pursuits, which I loved - and compulsory sport, which I hated. Nothing like this! I loved it!

Steve Reed said...

Indeed that is mine! You're right -- kids wouldn't dream of Nixon now, any more than I would dream of Calvin Coolidge.

Steve Reed said...

Olga is better! I forgot to give everyone an update!

Steve Reed said...

It's interesting, but I'm sure it's not everyone's bag!

Steve Reed said...

Yes! Very similar to that kind of idea. I once had a book called "Suggestion" of collected handwritten suggestions from many people on how society could be improved -- also kind of similar.

Steve Reed said...

Oh, lord, definitely a nightmare!

Steve Reed said...

No kidding!

Steve Reed said...

I'm not sure I ever did tell anyone in my family about that dream. Certainly not my father!

Steve Reed said...

It's very cool!

Steve Reed said...

That's a good point -- fathers and presidents both carry authority, especially in the eyes of a child. I like the dream installation because, as Bob said, it shows us that many of us have similar dreams.

Steve Reed said...

Yes, they did like it! My departure is a bit up in the air at the moment. More to follow!

Steve Reed said...

Oh, I'm glad he got that postcard! This whole time I've been thinking it never arrived!

Steve Reed said...

Yes, Tricky Dick it was!

Steve Reed said...

I'm sure you'd get along with Dave! He's very affable and seems to get along pretty well with everyone. He's only difficult when you really get to know him! LOL

Steve Reed said...

I know! A strange assortment of threats and dangers! Never had the underwater dream myself, though I have had flying dreams.

Steve Reed said...

Yes, Nixon and Dad were one and the same! I've had flying dreams too. Supposedly they're really about sex!

Steve Reed said...

Nixon it is!

Steve Reed said...

Involuntary expressions, I'd call them -- so yeah, more of a repository.

Steve Reed said...

Me too! And it's very approachable for the kids.

Steve Reed said...

Good lord, Trump. That WOULD be a nightmare. (Though back when I had the Nixon dream that was considered about as bad as it could get.)

Steve Reed said...

Definitely!

Steve Reed said...

I fight my share of seventh graders -- but no, it was indeed Nixon.

Steve Reed said...

The pillows are just there to sit or lie on while you take in the changing messages on the screen. I wondered why the screen is folded?

Steve Reed said...

Yeah, I took the photo right after dropping it onto the stack! LOL

Steve Reed said...

Ugh. Compulsory sport! I hated that too!