Live Sod, Red Balloons, Fashion and Art

Polyvore set: via alvitafreestyleindetroit, this is how the story begins...

Morning of February 14th: live sod rolls prepped, sprayed with green food coloring for the installation (we had snowfall this morning)

Photo by Britta Brookes: "Sod Walk" installed in the gallery @ Salon Rehe Space, also included a 3D Assemblage piece by Artist Toni Nunn "Bird Cage Muse" in the forefront. 

Patent leather baby doll shoes filled with valentine heart candy and glitter, red balloon is anchored by shoe and the glass red heart on top of "Sod Walk" live sod installation by A. Lozano, photo by Crystal Proxim: The Ferndale 115 News

Photo: Jenna Belevender

 

The red balloon hovered happily over the candy filled shoes as part of the "Sod Walk" installation greeting exhibit visitors upon entering the Pop Up 01/14/2012, Photo by Britta Brookes

You would be hard pressed to find live sod in Detroit, MI during the month of February.  I was naively determined however to have it be an integral part of an installation piece of mine at "Fall In Love With Fashion" Pop Up Art Exhibit on Valentines day this year.  It was the right thing to do as there is no substitute for a green organic element in art.

My journey took me to a sod farm a bit north of here where I met a very pleasant if not bewildered sod farmer who was glad to find a customer.

The morning of the pop up I woke to snow fall and a typical February temperature.  The two sod rolls were lying on a tarp outdoors looking a typical brownish but alive.  I drug the tarp onto the porch and sprayed them with green food coloring in hopes they would appear lush and green.  I was thrilled with the results as you can see it was a successful installation.

One of the writers who attended the exhibit (Crystal Proxime of The Ferndale 115 News ) said the installation "Set a whimsical tone" for the gallery, which made me smile.

The photo shoot which produced images to promote the event included a red balloon theme.  Why a red balloon theme one might ask?  For me, red balloons represent Passion, Hope, and Adventure.  Elements I wanted to showcase in this exhibit. Integrating nature (live sod), shoes, candy, glitter, a silver butterfly, a red heart ornament, along with the red balloon seemed the perfect way to summarize Fall In Love With Fashion Pop Up Art Exhibit.  The exhibit concept was born of a singular vision...a red balloon, and my determination to respect and interpret the idea.