Artists’ Ideas for the Bridge Mix Pop-Up Event

This pop-up event on October 10th is going to be top notch. I went to the space where the Pop-Up event will take place (the Tremont pedestrian bridge and the surrounding area) and met with Terry Schwarz (Head Honcho of the CUDC) and some of the artists who are designing the event. As we looked at the space for the first time, here are some of the ideas that people tossed around:

South End
- The south end of the bridge is right next to a beautiful, rustic small farm (Hooper’s Farm), where people can buy local produce during the event.
- A trail leads away from the edge of the bridge into the woods, creating a transition from stark urbanity to nature.
- By the farm will also be a performance space with cultural dancing, music, storytellers and Capoeira. Terry was thinking of using some of the chopped logs in the area as seating, bringing together the urban and the natural aspects of the space.

Bridge
- The narrow, slightly slanted bridge vibrates from pedestrian steps and perhaps even from the cars and trucks buzzing below on the highway. The vibrations can be slightly frightening, especially for those who become nervous around heights, so to make the space more comfortable, artists have planned to build a cozy living room in the middle of the bridge.
- Designers hope that increasing the comfort level in the bridge will encourage people to transition between spaces, manifesting the connectivity that the bridge represents.
- The sound of the cars beneath the bridge, the lights, the edgy design, and the music coming from the event will produce quite the visceral experience for anyone who attends.

North End
- The north end will have quite a different style from the south end, not only because the surroundings have a more developed, suburban look.
- There will be a U-Haul that contains an art exhibition.
- Gypsy Beans and Baking Co. will have a coffee stand with food and non-alcoholic beverages!

Although this list is puzzlingly similar to the general write-up of the event, the point of it was to give you some insight into what the artists and designers were thinking when they first went to the space. Go to the event and see for yourself what it’s all about!