RAW POP UP GARDEN
MIAMI, florida
Raw Pop Up Garden was a multi-sensory experience and site-specific installation for sitting and lounging for Raw Pop Up / LAB’s “Hard and Soft Urban Comfort Pavilion”, a multi-artist, 4-day exhibition in Brickell City Centre.
“The scaffolding is an ode to Brickell and Miami.” - Tam Gryn, Curator
(1) SCAFFOLDING STRUCTURE + FOAM; (2) CORRUGATED METAL; (3) TENSION CABLE; (4) ROSE GRID
All the installations in the exhibition were required to use scaffolding as the main building material as an ode to Miami – a city eternally under construction – as well as foam, as the exhibition’s theme was “hard” and “soft” and called for contrast and juxtaposition of the scaffolding with softer materials. Fifteen local and international artists were selected and tasked with accommodating a specific function within their installation - no other limitations were imposed.
Puente’s installation – roughly measuring 8’ x 10’ x 10’ – is defined by a simple geometry made entirely with scaffolding (hard). Catwalk pieces are used as benches and lined with foam to serve as cushions (soft).
Alluding to Puente’s Ecuadorian identity, the scaffolding was partly covered with corrugated metal to emulate the textures of informal construction in Latin America (hard). On the other hand, the Ecuadorian rose is a symbol of beauty, national pride and economic development (soft). The roses secretly hung within the space framed by the corrugated metal for a surprising contrast that further tied the piece to the exhibition theme of “hard” and “soft” while marveling the visitors as they approached the piece to sit, relax and socialize.
While the exhibition guidelines did not constrain installations to a particular footprint, the pavilion is compact to evoke simplicity and sustainability. The scaffolding is reusable and the roses are biodegradable helping reduce post-exhibition waste, an important factor in Puente’s installation work.