AUSTIN (KXAN) — Waterloo Greenway announced its annual Creek Show will be returning to Waller Creek with the help of six local artists.
This year’s Creek Show will run from Nov. 10-18 and will feature six new illuminated art installations created by local artists. The show extends from 9th Street to Waterloo Park and is free nightly, plus there will be free activities at the park each night.
According to a release from Waterloo Greenway, each year the organization puts together a committee of local artists, community leaders, and Creek Show enthusiasts to evaluate art installation submissions based on their “concept and individual merit,” which are then evaluated to create a comprehensive exhibition.
Creek Show Artistic Director Ingrid Spencer said the installations “bring together amazing sights, sounds, and an immersive experience for the whole family. This year’s show is an exciting artistic representation of Waller ecology, history, and culture.”
Installation names along with their artist statements and design teams are below.
BABBLE
Team Members: Lucas Greco & Reeve Hunter
Artist Statement: BABBLE is a light-hearted contemplation of our changing perceptions of Waller Creek. Together, the sights and sounds of the installation call visitors to break from the bustle of busy lives and experience anew and up close the burbling waterways pulsing calmly through our city.
Three types of corrugated roofing panels, sharing a common form but contrasting in color and character, come together to form illuminated heads of extraordinary size from ordinary construction materials. Speakers are installed among the faces producing muttering sounds of
voices and babbling fading in and out while contrasting tones and melodies intermingle in
unique ways depending on the viewer’s vantage point.
THE CREEK KEEPER
Team Members: Jake Rosenberg, Clayton Lillard, Mateo Gutierrez, Chris Haddad &
Chandler Goen
Artist Statement: Once upon a time, THE CREEK KEEPER emerged from the depths of Waller Creek to protect its folklore and remind us of the vital connection between environment and culture. A towering snapping turtle-like monster made from recycled materials, the installation invites us to explore the creek’s unique identity and inspires us to take action in preserving our natural world. Join us on a journey of discovery and conservation, as we honor the stories of the past and light up the future of our planet.
CRESCENDO
Team Members: Alex Martin & Max Hoffman
Artist Statement: CRESCENDO represents the heartbeat of Austin and the Red River District — music. The installation at Symphony Square is an array of re-purposed sheet music stands with color-changing panels of light. Stop by for a song or two to enjoy an orchestrated light show!
INTO THE WILD
Team Members: Nolan Stone & Ryan Blair
Artist Statement: In a rapidly urbanizing world, our few remaining wild places exist in the form of urban creeks and greenbelts. INTO THE WILD is a plea for wilder cities that highlights the life that still exists within.
The flora and fauna that reside in these spaces have existed here long before humans and the resilient remainders were required to adapt to human development. Once the daylight wanes and the moonlight illuminates the water, the creek comes alive reminding us of what once was and what could be.
MELTING MIRRORS
Team Members: Topher Sipes & Jasna Boudard
Artist Statement: MELTING MIRRORS is a multi-layered video installation, featuring digitally manipulated slow-motion video of the flow and movement of the water surface of Waller Creek.
The installation features multiple parallel screens of translucent fabric as staggered surfaces for the video content, allowing the projected light to pass through each layer to the next and simulating slices of a holographic cone for viewers as they pass by. This 3-dimensional experience facilitates viewing depth above and beneath the creek’s surface through the interplay of water with light.
RIOT
Team Members: Maria Berrios & JuanRaymon Rubio
Artist Statement: RIOT is a memorial installation that showcases the Battle of Waller Creek and offers a reflection on the destruction of Austin’s natural landscape.
The design gives viewers insight into the history of the protest and also considers the aftermath of a notable political and environmental fight.
