Canal Convergence is back in Scottsdale: These are the art pieces you can see in 2022
Canal Convergence, a spectacular free public art show on the Scottsdale Waterfront, has announced its 2022 dates.
The event presents works by artists from around the world in mediums including light, augmented reality, music and dance. It typically attracts a quarter-million visitors each year.
The 10th anniversary of Canal Convergence, presented by Scottsdale Public Art, will take place Nov. 4-13.
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This year's theme is "Celebrating 10 Years of Water + Art + Light." The event will feature creative workshops, education activities, food trucks and a beer and wine garden along with daily dance, music and poetry performances. Visit https://canalconvergence.com for a full list of events.
"Canal Convergence has been a labor of love for Scottsdale Public Art and Scottsdale Art," said Jennifer Gill, assistant director of Canal Convergence. "All the hard work that has gone in over the years and all the boundaries we push to put artwork in the canal, we’ve asked, ‘Is it possible? Can we do that?’
"And we can, and we keep going and going. The arts organizations, especially Scottsdale Arts, are here to bring art to the community and Canal Convergence is the perfect vehicle for that.”
What is this year's Canal Convergence theme?
For this year's event, artists were directed to submit works that celebrate water, art and light, incorporating elements from past themes such as "Reconnect," "The Story of Water" and "Art and Technology."
This year's event will feature between 10 and 15 art works from past artists and new artists from the local, national and international art communities.
“Ten years ago we embraced the idea of activating this waterfront as a public space to bring community together," Dr. Gerd Wuestemann, president and CEO of Scottsdale Arts said in the press release. "I think this made Scottsdale a better place to live, while making our community stronger.”
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All the art on display at Canal Convergence 2022
Canal Convergence will feature more than 10 works by artists across the country and the world. Here is your complete list.
“Canopy” by Pneuhaus: A grove of six, illuminated tree-like sculptures change into different shapes and colors. They are powered by bike-driven generators.
“The Doors” by Paul Magnuson of B!GART: Literal doors will take viewers into alternate realities when opened. Each “world” will be different.
“Flowing Overlapping Gesture 2.0” by Fausto Fernandez: An augmented reality platform that hovers over the water will be lit up with animations by Nicholas Townsend.
“The Last Ocean” by Jen Lewin: Interactive platforms made of reclaimed and recycled ocean plastic, each shape will light up differently depending on which platforms visitors step on.
“MAPP” by Alex Prooper and Simone van Dam: The point-and-shoot video-mapping system projects imagery from an old-fashioned pram to a projection screen. Viewers hop into the light and are scanned. Then, they become a part of a colorful, patterned art projection.
“Orb” by Walter Productions: 10 metal spheres will shoot flames 30 feet into the air during a daily show.
“Poetics of Impermanence” by Kristin Bauer: An animated visual poetry AR art work that features activation sites across the canal based on water, earth fire and air. There will be illuminated plexiglass boxes that illuminate the artist’s poetry.
"Reflections" by Immerge Interactive: These two 14-by-50-foot suspended grids – which encompass more than 13,000 LEDS – hover over the surface of the canal to create patterns across the water. You will be able to see previous Canal Convergence artworks on the grids as they light up at night.
“Sound the Deep Waters” by Angela Fraleigh: This projection-based artwork allows visitors to submit messages that are transformed into Victorian flower language right in front of them. There are interactive kiosks where you can send text messages or love letters and see them become floral compositions.
“STARQUARIUM” by Paul Magnusonof B!GART: This intergalactic aquarium will show 3D animated content through 560,000 video pixels. Viewers can see the entire installation in 360 degrees by walking underneath the piece.
“SunDrops” by Jeff Zischke: The art work features five illuminated sun shapes suspended in the air representing the sunrise and the sunset. "The canal is a great blank canvas to work with," Zischke said. "You have the reflection in the water, you have wind going through, you have ambient light and you have people seeing it from ground level or from buildings. There’s all these great challenges, and nothing could be better than that for an artist to create something so dynamic."
“Trillian + InSpires” by HYBYCOZO: Three sculptures — some of which blend 62 triangular, square and pentagonal faces — are inspired by ancient Islamic tiles, mathematics and geometry. In the daytime, they shine like golden jewels. At night, they cast lights and shadows that create patterns.
“Los Trompos” by Hector Esrawe: Inspired by the spinning tops, these colorful, spinning chairs can fit your whole family. The colorful materials are woven by Mexican artisans. It’s up to you to decide how fast you spin.
“The Pool” by Jen Lewin: A series of glowing platforms with a changing palette of colors change as people walk across them.
“The Tunnel” by B!GART: The artwork is an interactive, all-encompassing tunnel. As people pass through these 13-foot-tall structures, they can create patterns of lights and sounds.
“What Grows Here” by Jen Urso: A virtual map shows more than 1,000 years of water use in the Scottsdale area. It’s a three-dimensional presentation allows viewers to see the changing use through six stacked maps that hang adjacent to the Arizona Canal.
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Canal Convergence 2022 in Scottsdale
When: Nov. 4-13.
Where: Scottsdale Waterfront, 7135 E. Camelback Road.
Admission: Free.
Details: https://canalconvergence.com.
Reach the reporter at sofia.krusmark@gannett.com. Follow her on Instagram @sofia.krusmark.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Canal Convergence 2022 in Scottsdale: When, where and what art to see
