John Baldessari. "Your Name in Lights," 2011. Image courtesy of Kaldor Public Art Projects and Sydney Festival.
You. Got to have flash and flare or your name in lights, right?!
Well, John Baldessari aims to make it happen. He is looking for people who want their name in lights for 15 glittering seconds.
Your Name in Lights reflects the changing cult of celebrity in modern society and recalls Andy Warhol’s prediction that in the future everyone will have their 15 minutes of fame. Drawing on imagery from Broadway theatre displays and Hollywood films, this ambitious new work will involve more than 100,000 participants.
In a matter of seconds, I registered my name and got an email to look for another notification in January for when my name will appear in lights on the Australian Museum’s William Street façade. Your Name in Lights will be presented by Kaldor Public Art Projects for the 2011 Sydney Festival as a way to engage audiences in an entirely new way. This is not the first time Baldessari has invited the public to engage in or somehow be a part of his art. Last year the artist released, In Still Life 2001-2010, a mobile app for the iPhone. Kaldor Public Art Projects last collaborated with Sydney Festival in 1995 to realize Jeff Koons’ giant Puppy sculpted in flowers outside the Museum of Contemporary Art.
So go on, participate and get your name up there!