Tom Moody - Freight Elevator Project
Artist's Installation Diary

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September 30, 2002. I took the PATH and F Train to DUMBO to check my "test strips" (for the best type of tape to use in the Freight Elevator Project installation). I arrived at the building at 7:30 am, entered through the loading dock, and was surprised to see them still hanging after the weekend. Only one piece had been partially torn off, by someone who just couldn't resist. All three brands of tape held the paper up, but the Scotch ^TM 667 was the clear winner for repositionability, durability, and leaving no residue. One brand left some gunk but it was easily wiped off. As I was taking pictures of the elevator (to see what kinds of photography problems I'm going to have when I document the piece next month), a delivery man got on at the third floor and said "Did you spend the weekend in here? Last time I saw you was Friday afternoon." I tried to explain what I was doing and got "the look." Anyway, he was friendly.

Photography is going to be a problem, because there is no way, even with the wide angle lens, to frame the entire 14 foot length of the wall. Also, the walls are super-shiny so the light is super-uneven (but only in the camera--in person the three overhead fluorescent panels provide almost gallery-like lighting). Also, I'll have to disable the flash, since it creates laser beams bisecting the image. Below is a head-on image; the piece will occupy most of the wall where the test strips are hanging (see upper right).

Back to the Jersey City Artists Studio Tour: the Jersey City Reporter came out yesterday, with a spread on the tour. My name was listed under "N" (along with about seven other Ms) but they got the location right on the map. My studio is Number 17 on the tour map. The city mails out balloons (leftover from the Mayor's last campaign, I noticed) which we're supposed to hang outside our studios, along with a big number. This week I'll be test-driving the spheres and struts I'm using for the elevator piece by installing them vertically in the studio--a kind of practice run for the DUMBO event. (Here's how they look oriented horizontally).
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