Hanging around

Guerilla tensegrities have an unpredictable lifespan. Not necessarily by decomposition, that happened only twice as far as I can say, but rather due to their accessibility. If it's easy for me to install them, it's easy for anyone to take them, whether for their own enjoyment or as part of their paid jobs.

I released 13 objects into the wild so far, with only two or three still in place. I still wonder if my motivation reflects more narcissism or exercises in letting go. However, I cannot regret the experiences I made, the bits of adrenaline rush while doing it, and about how to increase the positioning to appeal at least to me when I cruise through the neighbourhood to check whether they're still in place.

The first object I released took the most effort and excitement, and it lasted for nearly a year. A three strut minimal tensegrity made of pencils, attached to a power wire with an elaborate mounting mechanism. It survived many periods of wild weather, and I found it on the ground after the attachment broke, still intact.

Yet I wonder if it was ever noticed, being tiny and in a place the usual gaze would wonder about to find something unexpected. Two objects of similar size in plain eyesight were gone quite fast, and lately I went to much bigger sculptures for outdoor installations - I ran out of space, and I hoped to increase their visibility.

The first sculpture put up in a place for its splendid visibility didn't even last 24 hours, installed in a stealthy night action it was gone before I could take any photo during daylight. Another one, which I placed in the trunk of cut-off tree, survived some flooding from the creek next to it, and I adjusted it several times for maximum viewing pleasure, is gone now as well.

My attempts to attached some medium sized octahedra on top of wooden poles might have gone with the wind - I found one of it next to the pole after a stormy day, yet I'm sure now that the way of attaching them is simply not viable.

One of the objects that is still happily hanging around, provided me a flood of synchronicities. I met someone living just about 50 metres away from where I hung it out, having one of the most amazing sunday afternoons, a day after it got into place.

Initially, it hung much closer to the branch it's suspended from than I intended. I wanted to give it visibility and freedom of movement, and instead pulled it very tightly to the branch. I still have no idea how it lowered itself down, the elements might have helped me in giving it a more prominent position. One day, instead of being snuggly close to the branch, it had at least the little bit of clearance to rotate in the wind, became more visible, and is now affected by the slightest breeze.

It's now about seven weeks that it's hanging around, and I haven't got a name for it. Hold on, I just found one: Louise, please. As it's along one of my favorite bike paths, I will have ample opportunity to check on its longevity.

Louise, please (6 strut icosahedron)