MCA Chicago Plaza Project video: Amanda Ross-Ho
Los Angeles–based artist Amanda Ross-Ho premiered her first outdoor public art project, THE CHARACTER AND SHAPE OF ILLUMINATED THINGS at the MCA Chicago. This video served as a primary component of the interpretative materials for the exhibition.
Based on an illustration from an old studio lighting manual, Ross-Ho’s installation features three large-scale sculptures—enormous scale versions of the objects in the original illustration—while using the sun as a shifting source of light.
Because the video was an integral component of the interpretation for the exhibition, it needed to be complete by the exhibition opening. This presented a challenge. The artist fabricated the objects in LA, and the installation in Chicago would be ongoing right up until the opening. Our strategy was to complete the production two parts: an interview from an early visit to the MCA was edited in advance of the installation period, and footage from the installation was captured and edited daily as the installation advanced.
The strategy worked, and the video was available at the time of the opening. In the first week it received more than 3,000 plays on Vimeo, which proved timing the video release with the opening festivities was key. The video was also distributed onsite, via QR codes on the plaza, and via social media.
My role:
Producer, Interviewer, Project Manager
Project collaborators:
Director, Cinematographer, and Editor: Mike Alfini
Graphic Designer: Alfredo Ruiz
Sarah Wambold 