GOODNEWS

OFF THE WALL: OUTDOOR ART COLORS WINTER CHILL

2012-01-27T09:27:00.000-08:00

A wonderful write-up in Dig Boston, on our newest public art piece "Lighthouse," A collaborative work between goodgood and New American Public Art!

When winter hits, a dull gray gloom takes over Boston, but last night an outdoor installation of lights and projections in “Lighthouse” vibrantly colored the Boston Harbor Islands Pavilion.

At the pavilion, my eye immediately drew to the light screen somewhat reminiscent of the Lite-Brite kids game. A dazzling sight, the large screen illuminates continuous waves of multicolored lights.

The lighthouse structure looks like three mini teepees constructed out of canvas. Perched on top of a small stone building, the lighthouse projects a light scape out on to the ground with analogue projectors made from Fresnel lenses and LED lights.

Standing there in the dead of winter with 40 or so other people at the opening, there was a sense of collective awe to be witnessing the drive of a project up against a rainstorm with gusting winds on its opening day. Miraculously, the rain stopped during the 6 to 8 p.m. opening on Thursday, but that didn’t mean it still wasn’t freezing.

“It was an incredible turnout of true weather resistant Bostonians for the opening ceremony,” said public artist Dan Sternof Beyer.

The interactive aspect of the installation truly came alive with the dance performance of Yuka Takahashi. Gentle electronic music played, as her improvised movements floated in front of the multicolored light screen.

On braving the winter chill she said, “I have never performed in such cold weather. My breathing also visually appeared as a piece.”

The creators of “Lighthouse” featured above from left to right: Matthew Shanley, Karen Stein, Dan Sternof Beyer, Ben Gaydos and Kawandeep Virdee. (Namita Dharia is not pictured).

“We all shared roles in the ideation and development of the project. Lighthouse was a manifestation of collective imagination by six individuals with their own skill sets. Dan Beyer is a public artist and interaction designer; Namita Dharia is an architect and anthropologist; Matthew Shanley is a multimedia artist and programmer; Karen Stein is an artist, designer, Principal of goodgood Design; Kawan Virdee is an artist and programmer,” said Gaydos, who is a designer, filmmaker, and also a Principal of goodgood Design.

“Building together, building with our hands, that’s a great feeling. We were all into general ideas of color, play, interactivity,” said Virdee.

The organizations also involved in the installation include goodgood Design, New American Public Art, Boston Cyberarts, Boston Harbor Island Alliance and Rose F. Kennedy Greenway. The Greenway funded the project, and “Lighthouse” is part of the Greenway’s ongoing Winter Lights Series. “It was a great idea because it plays off the importance of light in winter when it gets dark so early. Like lighthouses for ships, the lighthouse installation is a beacon for the Greenway,” said Katelyn Littlejohn, the Greenway’s Arts and Communications Associate.

In Boston, the Greenway is known for promoting public art. “I am very happy to be a part of the public art scene here in Boston,” said Beyer.

Make sure to go check out the light display that will be up until mid March on the Boston Harbor Islands Pavilion, located between State Street and Atlantic Avenue.

Joyful Praise

2011-01-05T12:31:00.000-08:00

We were the recipients of some very nice praise about our recent installation, Joy, from the blog, Dress for Sports . Thanks, Mary! We've reposted it below:

It's a goodgood thing...

As I described in my previous post, joy was present this December in many more ways than one.

On December 21st, it was an integral component in “What Brings You Joy? 什麼帶給你歡樂？”; a question posed to the public in the Chinatown Parks as part of the Greenway’s Bright Lights for Winter Nights celebrations.

That same evening, a few blocks over in the Fort Point Channel Parks, joy no longer was presented as part of an open ended artistic question - but rather featured as an elegant exclamation created by goodgood’s Karen Stein with help from Ben Gaydos and Matthew Shanley.

An installation that delighted and surprised all who strolled through that particular section of the Greenway - “joy” transformed the normally barren winter landscape into an otherworldly field of glowing, glittery fallen stars.

It was an extraordinary expression of cosmic wonder right there at my feet, and as I entered the park in front of the Intercontinental Hotel - I stood still and spun around to soak in the full effect of the sparkling terrain. Its lifespan may have been just a few short hours, but boy was "joy" heavenly.

As detailed in the artist statement, ““joy” is a one-night outdoor lighting installation made up of 1,000 freestanding LED lights. These lights glimmer on the Rose Kennedy Greenway landscape, creating a constellation here on earth, spelling out a simple message of the season.”

How did such a stellar, celestial project find its way to Bright Lights for Winter Nights? Well, my discussions with goodgood began shortly before Thanksgiving, when I sent emails of inquiry to a few local artists with whose work I had become familiar over the past few months. The goal? To gauge interest in participating in an outdoor installation project (aka Bright Lights for Winter Nights) with some pretty tricky parameters, not the least of which was a need for artworks that utilized solar powered lights or battery powered LEDs (and thus would glow in an area of the Greenway in which electric power is non-existent).

Not surprisingly, while all of the artists I emailed expressed great interest in future collaborations of this kind, the criteria was proving too prohibitive, especially given the time of year (which was completely reasonable and to be expected). And then, there was goodgood…

Curious about the project and game to brainstorm, Karen Stein eagerly engaged in an email dialogue with me about a variety of dazzling ideas. While goodgood didn’t have anything in their studio that met the goals of Bright Lights for Winter Nights, they definitely were interested in pursuing a conversation. I explained that as a fall back, it could be fun to create a kind of illuminated rose garden out of solar powered lawn decorations (which I thought would cleverly allude to the Greenway’snamesake). But before long, goodgood was off and running with a smattering of their own great ideas, and “joy” emerged the victor.

In fact, it was this installation’s theme that inspired the prompt for “What Brings You Joy? 什麼帶給你歡樂？” Once it was determined that “joy” was going to be the anchor installation in the Fort Point Channel Parks, I suggested that it might be nice to find a way to connect its message with the participatory light graffiti projection in the Chinatown Parks. Thanks to Kate Miller’s great guidance and prompt, the full circle Bright Lights concept was born.

Those who missed “joy” missed an experience straight out of the fantastic. But with a little luck and encouragement, “joy” hopefully can be reprised and enjoyed on the Greenway where it will make bright the night and warm a few hearts on special evenings yet to come.

A note about/from goodgood…
goodgood is an interdisciplinary design studio. Our unique approach to the design process favors positive change in the realms of economy equity and ecology. We find beauty in the details, humanity through collaboration and joy in the act of creating.

We Will Imagine

2010-10-28T10:56:00.000-07:00

We Will Imagine from Ben Gaydos on Vimeo.

A little stop motion video of the installing the commissioned work “We Will Imagine Parts 1+2”. Part 1 took us 100+ man hours alone, and we are greatly indebted to the kind souls who lent their time, hands and enthusiasm: Namita, Joana, Cory, Elana, Julia, Elaine, Demetri, Jess, Tyler, Zeke, Phoebe, Chris, Gerald, Marc and Yasmine.

We Will Imagine will be up through the end of November. Check it out!

We Will Imagine: Interview with artists: goodgood and Matthew Shanley

2010-10-14T16:16:00.000-07:00

Check out FPAC interview with Fort Point artists: goodgood (Karen Stein + Ben Gaydos) and Matthew Shanley. Their temporary public art work, "We Will Imagine" will be installed this October for Open Studios.

FPAC: How did you decide to apply to the FPAC public art works call for artists? Have you done other public art projects before?

KBM: We all live and/or spend large amounts of time in the Fort Point area, engaging daily with its beauty and imperfections. It felt natural to want to make a mark on these surfaces. These two locations in particular seemed both crucially important to daily life, yet also lacking in brightness and spirit. We wanted to draw them out from their current existence, inviting people to see them for what they are and what they could be. By extension, we examine the entire neighborhood—what it is and what it could be.

The goodgood part of the crew (Karen and Ben) created a lighting installation on Congress Street this past winter for FPAC’s Winter Solstice series.

FPAC: What was the inspiration for your public art project?

KBM: We are quite interested in engaging communities through art and design. We try to find ways of using language and typography to pose questions and encourage discourse in our visual landscape.

FPAC: What role do you believe artists are responsible for portraying to the public regarding economic, aesthetic, environmental and social issues?

KBM: Is this a roundabout way of asking what’s going to happen to all this tape once the artwork comes down? Because we’re trying to come up with a good solution…(We are contacting local sculptors and fashion designers to see if they are interested in the remnants.)

Seriously though, artists are responsible to each of these issues and countless more. The creation of art is an act of questioning. Art can be about concrete notions and it can be about elusive emotions, but in our practice and creation there is always question and wonder.

FPAC: How do you think public art works temporary or permanent should be introduced to the community?.... often the dialogue is the most important relationship that needs to be considered? How have you created a dialogue with your work?

KBM: Ideally public art works are part of a much broader discussion, perhaps serving as a catalyst. In one sense, this work is very directly a dialog. A question called out from one side is answered by the other. But we hope that there is another level of dialog as well. We are thinking deeply about our neighborhood and community, and hope that this display invokes discussion amongst viewers on these issues.

FPAC: Do you think temporary works have a different impact on the viewer and how? How did take this into consideration regarding your work?

KBM: They certainly do. A permanent piece needs to be appealing and timeless. A temporary piece on the other hand can provoke. It can bring up tough questions, and those questions can be pertinent to that moment. Perhaps the question will no longer hold the same relevance ten years down the road, but in this time and place it is on our minds.

A temporary work can also address the ever-present sense of change in the world around us. Our neighborhoods are shifting and evolving, we are facing new challenges every day and our art needs to address this.

FPAC: The shift from "plop art", or public art work that has been just placed without taking consideration the surroundings, to site specific work has been a big change in the art world over the last 20/30 years, how did you decide the site for your work?

KBM: Both of these sites scream out for attention. Between and surrounding the fence and bridge are incredible examples of the architecture of the Fort Point, steeped in history and artistry. Neither the fence nor the bridge reflect this beauty.

We wanted to liven up these places. But we wanted to work with them and enhance them, not simply cover them over. And, we wanted to create a dialogue with the neighborhood. With the fence in particular that structure was paramount in determining the form of our creation.

The words took shape through the process of weaving the text through the fence. The fence and the material play off each other and feed into one another.

FPAC: Where did you get all of the material used for your public art work?

KBM: The magical world of the internet brought us boxes full of tape in all sorts of colors and shapes.

FPAC: how is your project being funded?

KBM: The Fort Point Arts Community applied for and received funding for the public art series from The Fund for The Arts, a public program of the New England Foundation for the Arts, made possible by generous support from anonymous donors. Without this, the installation would not have been possible.

FPAC: How much did color and material play a role in your work?

KBM: To a large degree, the work is material color. The brightness of the tape enlivens these drab urban surfaces. The material of the site led directly to the form of the installation. The shape of the letter forms woven into the A Street fence are defined by the pattern of chain link.

FPAC: When will the final project be installed?

KBM: We’ll be installing along the A Street fence the last weekend in September. The piece along the Summer Street overpass might come slightly later, depending on getting final permission.

FPAC: How long have you lived in the Fort Point Channel?

KBM: Karen has lived here going on 2 years, and has worked here for more than 5 years. Ben has been working here for 2 years, and Matt going on one year. We are new-comers indeed, but we are also very passionate about this community, believing it is all our role to maintain the artistic fabric which already exists.

FPAC: Who or what are your biggest influences on your work?

KBM: Jim Henson, David Bowie, and the natural world. Stefan Sagmeister and Jenny Holzer, too.

FPAC: What can we look forward to in the future from you?

KBM: Many good[good] things.

FPAC: What role did each of you have in this project?

KBM: We’ve all collaborated on the entire project from conception to creation. The great thing about this project has been the way we’ve been able to work together as a group without worrying about defining roles.

Make that one whole cafe, to go

2010-09-27T21:02:00.000-07:00

goodgood's collaboration with Equal Exchange and Medtro Pedal Power gets some great press in the Globe!

By Sarah Mupo Globe Correspondent / September 22, 2010

Equal Exchange is giving to-go coffee a new meaning.

The West Bridgewater company, which focuses on sustainability and green business practices, is taking its fair-trade coffee to the streets in the form of free-range cafes. This month, you’ll be seeing three-wheeled, mobile coffee trikes popping up around the city.

Equal Exchange cafe developer Meghan Hubbs proposed the coffee trike concept earlier this year, in an effort to reemphasize the company’s local image while changing Boston’s coffee culture. The trikes are the first of their kind in New England. Similar ventures have been introduced in New York; Colorado; Portland, Ore.; London; and Copenhagen.

The trikes have a tactical advantage over traditional carts, Hubbs says, because they can move without the help of another vehicle. But the company’s most important innovation may be more intangible. “The other thing was to create a very intimate connection between consumer and barista,’’ she says. The direct contact will give coffee buyers a greater understanding of where their brew comes from.

Even with the high price tag of these custom-built vehicles — trikes cost $10,000 to $15,000 each — Hubbs says they are still far cheaper than opening another brick-and-mortar location to join Equal Exchange’s existing cafe on Causeway Street in Boston.

Equal Exchange enlisted the help of Metro Pedal Power, a Somerville-based bike delivery service, to design and build the trikes. Co-owner Wenzday Jane says the company has made mobile vending units for one other client. The roving cafes are a natural project for Metro Pedal, which happens to deliver scones from Petsi Pies to Equal Exchange Cafe. “It’s great to see them get behind the concept,’’ she says. “It’s really encouraging.’’

The trikes are equipped with a cabinet that stores all the necessary cafe accoutrements: cups, sugar, napkins, and stir sticks, all of which are compostable. A built-in ice chest is next to the brewing machine, holding milk, cream, and iced coffee, which is made off-site. The coffee itself is brewed with the help of marine boat batteries, but Hubbs says she would like to have a truly pedal-powered brewing apparatus in the near future.

A prototype of the trike premiered at the Boston Food Truck Festival in August. This month, Equal Exchange riders will be pedaling around in the city in the latest model trike. An additional trike will be added in October, and both will operate five days a week. Next year, for its first full season, Equal Exchange is hoping to operate them from April through October.

The company hasn’t yet finalized the spots where the mobile cafes will set up, but the most likely areas are the corner of Boylston Street and Tremont Street, Copley Square, and Christopher Columbus Park. Customers will be able to track their locations on Twitter.

Eventually, Hubbs says she’d like to see the trikes become local fixtures, offering more products like espresso, tea, and food — even if they don’t bear the company name. “Whether it’s Equal Exchange or another local company,’’ she says, “it’s a win-win to build that culture.’’

For more information, go to www.equalexchangefreerange.com or follow the trikes on Twitter @eefreerange

Sarah Mupo can be reached at smupo@globe.com.

Word Play Exhibition Catalogue

2010-09-09T13:46:00.000-07:00

Word Play Exhibition Catalogue

Catalogue for the exhibition, "Word Play". With an essay by Tim Lane, work from 30 artists and designers, and documentation from the openings at Scene Metrospace (East Lansing), Gallery 5 (Richmond), and Art at 12 (Boston). Design and curation by goodgood. Paperback, 188 pages.

See more photos here.

Pick up a copy through Lulu: http://bit.ly/bTBa7b

goodgood review in Boston Globe

2010-02-09T14:26:00.000-08:00

Read the recent review of goodgood's public light installation, WinterHue:

Illuminating the Winter Nights

“Hypnotic, too, is “Winter Hue,’’ a project by the artist duo of Ben Gaydos and Karen Stein, known as goodgood, and Colin Owens of Owens Design. The understated banner of softly glowing lights made up of 36 LED light modules in a stack of windows at the corner of 368 Congress St. segues through a rainbow of colors.’’

About the project:
WinterHue IV is an installation composed of 38 LED light modules illuminating a series of windows at the corner edge of 368 Congress Street. The installation creates an immersive experience of color and light that transforms the building into an aesthetic experience in celebration of the winter solstice.

The installation will be on view until February 28th. Come check it out!

WordPlay!

2009-11-03T05:35:00.001-08:00

Come join us for the First Friday opening of WordPlay, this Friday at 7pm at Gallery5, in Richmond!

goodgood curated the traveling exhibition, WordPlay, which explores the human fascination of language on the printed page. This diverse collection of artists, craftspeople and designers spans the globe—from India to the UK and throughout the US—including internationally recognized artists Ken Campbell and Ed Fella. Locally, the work of David Freed and VCU's Bowe House Press illustrates and illuminates the written word. From the experimental and unconventional to traditional methods of letterpress and bookmaking, the artists in this exhibition playfully and poetically mark the page with words that both provoke and evoke.

BOB'S YOUR UNCLE/ HEATHER BOONE / THE BOWE HOUSE PRESS / KEN CAMPBELL / OPHELIA CHONG / JON CREIGHTON / JASON DILWORTH/ ED FELLA / DAVID FREED / BEN GAYDOS / GOODGOOD / MEENA KHALILI/ MATT KLIMAS / JOE KUSZAI / KURNAL RAWAT / PAUL RUSTAND / GRANT SHULER / KAREN STEIN & JULIA YEZBICK

visit to Third & Elm Press in Newport, RI

2009-10-25T17:15:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, as part of the Book Beautiful conference, we visited the Third and Elm Press down. This press was founded 45 years ago, in 1965, by Alexander and Ilse Buchert Nesbitt, and it is a wonderful little corner in Newport.

Ilse runs the press now—her husband passed away 15 years ago—and she walked us through her process—from paper-making, to woodcutting, to printing. It was a delightful little place, and a pleasure to spend time with Ilse. If you're ever in Newport, I would highly recommend making a visit.

Redefining the Book

2009-10-14T09:08:00.000-07:00

Karen from goodgood will be down in Newport, RI this weekend for the "Book Beautiful" conference, where she'll be giving a presentation on "Redefining the Book." Come check it out!

goodgood loves collaboration!

2009-10-09T16:24:00.000-07:00

Check out this mind-blowing collaboration between painter/filmmaker David Ellis and graffiti artist/animator blu:

COMBO: a collaborative animation by Blu and David Ellis (2 times loop) from blu on Vimeo.

Is Social Media a Fad?

2009-10-05T20:20:00.000-07:00

welcome to goodgoodland

2009-09-25T10:35:00.000-07:00

Hello! In celebration of the founding of goodgoodland, we designed this poster, which documents how we discovered this wondrous place. If you'd like one of your very own, we'll mail you one of our miniature versions (i.e. a postcard) for free!

Just click here to sign up for the mailing list.