I am wrapping things up in Utica. Yesterday, we moved Strong Like Water to its temporary resting place in front of Sculpture Space. It will be moving in the first week of September to Peekskill.
There was rigging involved, and I know Michael Konrad's dying to see rigging pictures.
I have images of yesterday's move. But they are all slightly horrifying. I don't believe I will show them, because I'd rather not be immortalized on the internet as a total fucking idiot. The crane was too small. The crane operator was overly confident. I didn't step up and stop things, which is what I think I should have done.
I might be overreacting. Nobody got hurt, the truck is fine, the sculpture is fine, and I think I managed to keep my adrenal glands from making matters worse. In some ways, I got the perfect dry run: a serious-yet-low-stakes leadership lesson that touches on many of this blog's most popular themes: increasing negative capacity without losing optimism; believing what's happening instead of what you know; trusting that things have a way of working out.
I need a couple of days to process what happened, but will probably write about it at length. If anyone has a story about a serious lesson they learned, I'd love to hear it.
It looks beautiful, congratulations! Does Peekskill mean Mark and Livia Straus? And can we play on it?
Posted by: Catherine Spaeth | July 27, 2008 at 01:12 PM
heck even the pro's are busting cranes these days. Shouldn't use slave labor to weld stuff, is my two cents.
Who was the safety foreman? Oh, we got jimminy cricket here - he's a tiny feller, but if stuff goes wrong we can blame him.
Note to cheap labor:
When they drop stuff on you, sue your exploited heart out.
Posted by: zipthwung | July 27, 2008 at 06:44 PM
oh the lesson - I heard a story about someone who was working as an "independent contractor" or "freelance" who got some sculpture dropped on them - I don't know how it turned out in the end - but he didn't sue the instituion, which I think he should have. Not for a lot, just enough to say, "hey, it's not ok," and "I can't work with a sore back."
Posted by: zipthwung | July 27, 2008 at 06:47 PM
oh the lesson - I heard a story about someone who was working as an "independent contractor" or "freelance" who got some sculpture dropped on them - I don't know how it turned out in the end - but he didn't sue the instituion, which I think he should have. Not for a lot, just enough to say, "hey, it's not ok," and "I can't work with a sore back."
Posted by: zipthwung | July 27, 2008 at 06:48 PM
oh the lesson - I heard a story about someone who was working as an "independent contractor" or "freelance" who got some sculpture dropped on them - I don't know how it turned out in the end - but he didn't sue the instituion, which I think he should have. Not for a lot, just enough to say, "hey, it's not ok," and "I can't work with a sore back."
Posted by: zipthwung | July 27, 2008 at 06:49 PM
The universe keeps reminding me to stay calm. That seems to be the key lesson. My most memorable such lesson involved me walking backwards off a scaffold. I was working out of town, and in a frenzy to finish the minimum needed so I could leave and go home. I almost walked off once, stopped and said to self "shit! that was close, pay attention!", went back into frenzy and fell. I was soooo lucky. My head hit a ladder rung going down, which tilted me up just enough to avoid head smacking concrete. Nothing broken, but some things still hurt a bit 8 years later.
It's not cool to make yourself gimpy...or worse, and that stuff can happen.
It sounds like you handled this well by performing the most important task of staying calm. Well done.
Posted by: carla | July 27, 2008 at 09:52 PM
Hey, you're right, I was looking forward to rigging pictures, but given the circumstances you described, I don't blame you for not wanting to post them.
Anyway, the piece looks even better outside on the grass. Hopefully this experience will help make the move to it's final site go a little more smoothly.
Posted by: Michael Konrad | July 28, 2008 at 09:09 AM
Wow!
Nobody got hurt AND it looks freakin awesome! That is pretty much my definition of success!
Nice shootin tex!
Posted by: James Graham | July 30, 2008 at 02:46 AM
its a beautiful piece!
Posted by: Amy Walsh | August 04, 2008 at 07:07 PM
Hey, my entire life thus far has been a serious learning experience; I'm still waiting for the payoff.
Congratulations on moving the monster without doing any irreparable damage! It looks great!
Posted by: Pretty Lady | August 04, 2008 at 09:27 PM
Hey thanks for the kindness everyone!
Life is a learning experience... some parts of it are more actively learn-y than others.
Posted by: deborahfisher | August 05, 2008 at 07:01 AM
Sorry Catherine, how rude of me.
Yes, Livia Strauss is responsible in no small part for this monstrosity.
And yes. You must play on it!
Posted by: deborahfisher | August 05, 2008 at 06:12 PM
I love this piece, and just from the photo. Its meanings go on and on. It's on my must-see list. Regina
Posted by: regina hackett | August 06, 2008 at 11:15 PM
It's so nice to have you do all of the research for us. It makes our decision making so much easier!! Thanks.
Posted by: MBT Online | July 15, 2011 at 05:24 AM