City as Playground

This past weekend, I went to see an exhibit at the little known Graham Center in the Gold Coast. Not only was the exhibit fantastic, but the building was a gorgeous Frank Lloyd Wright-style mansion with lovely wooden art deco banisters and stained glass windows. After walking into the foyer of a mansion, you don't necessarily expect to see giant pink blow up balls and rafts. This is the beginning of the What You Can Do With the City exhibit highlighting unique ways that urban dwellers from around the world have managed to overcome the drear of pavement, barriers to loitering, and the serious business-like nature of cities to make them livable gardens and playgrounds.

Each "action" had a book of photos and/or videos displaying and explaining the project in action. I especially enjoyed Yves St Blondeau's thesis project, Wheels Give Super Powers, that put together an entire roller suit to skate board on every conceivable body part through the streets of Paris http://www.metacafe.com/watch/985242/wheel_roller_suit/ and artist Sarah Ross's Foamy Velour Suits That Challenge Authority which attaches foam shapes on the back of a jumpsuit to overcome benches that repel the weary urban pedestrian.

There were seed "guns" that promised to create gardens and a band of hungry Los Angelines who went around harvesting the abundant street produce to create jams and liquors. See it! Be Inspired to do something cool with your friends or merely imagine eating lunch on a giant pink donut.

The exhibit is up through March 31 and the Graham Foundation is only open Wednesday-Saturday from 10-5. So go and check it out before it's gone...