Chris Loukides's Assignment 1: Curating Experience

Experience ONE: Hot Air Ballooning

Watch as the Balloon taking of behind you gets farther and farther away as you both float peacefully along high above Winters, California. You can see the dense fog over the hills which made flying in the Napa Valley impossible.

The only things that breaks the peaceful stillness is the occasional blasting of the burner that keeps you afloat.

You make it across the mountain range into the Napa Valley. The fog has burnt off and your pilot spots a possible landing area.

The Balloonist's Prayer 

The winds have welcomed you with softness. 

The sun has blessed you with his warm hands. 

You have flown so high and so well 

that God joined you in laughter 

and set you gently back into 

the loving arms of Mother Earth.

More on the science and equipment of hot air ballooning.

Curators Statement: 

Since this multimedia experience was to be based on images, sound, and motion, I wanted to cover something that effected all the senses of a person. My first job was for a hot air balloon company and I got to experience three balloons rides myself and felt that kind of experience was perfect for this sense driven assignment. The beauty of this planet's landscapes really comes through from the altitude of a hot air balloon. I wanted to show this beauty and wonder with the images I chose. I wanted to try and express the amazement that happens when your on a balloon floating along the same wind as another. I wanted to share the idea of, "wow that balloon over there sure is high and looks so majestic. Wait I'm on a balloon just like it, wow they must be thinking the same thing." A balloon ride is an amazing shift in perspective and really causes the mind to think of different perspectives in altitude and location. I also really like how balloons stand out so sharply but their floating is so peaceful. With the sound clip and video I really wanted to share the actually relationship all the passengers and the pilot has with the balloon and their surroundings. To go along with the sound and use of the burner I added a link to the more technical side of ballooning for anyone who is interested in learning more. The different levels of wind currents and the use of the parachute vent is very amazing. Hope you enjoyed.

Experience TWO: Another Use for Golden Gate Park

First a brief history and aerial photographs to show the vastness of Golden Gate Park.

And now a foggy morning in current day Golden Gate Park.

Foggy Morning from Christopher Loukides on Vimeo.

- The Fog Retreats -

As the sun rises

the morning's fog dissolves

gloom and grey are transformed

the nocturnal recede with the night

scavengers are revealed

the raccoons hide away

warmth and color take over

the city's concrete riders intrude 

Golden Gate Park Skate Montage from Christopher Loukides on Vimeo.

The park offers so much to the people of San Francisco. The city's plans for a skate park in Golden Gate Park should not be abandoned. The park should further its recreational uses for the many diverse people who have always enjoyed it.

Curators Statement: 

I chose golden gate park for the site based portion of this assignment because I live so close to it, enjoy it so much, and have spent so much time there. I also wanted to use this multimedia experience to draw attention to the untraditional ways the park is used for recreation and fun. I wanted to persuade the viewer that skateboarding in the park doesn't have to be damaging and disturbing. With the photos showing the grand scale of the park there is no reason why a skate park can't find a place there. The link at the end shows a group of people who oppose the building of a golden gate park skate park. As the skate montage shows the park is already used widely for skateboarding and having a place designated for skateboarding alone would only make it safer and better for the city of San Francisco.