In 2011 one of the most anticipated and successful events of Northern Spark was GLOWaBOUT, the urban gaming program in Loring Park organized by Bridget Beck and Carissa Samaniego. We are thrilled to bring back this project in 2012.
GLOWaBOUT is a nightlong city game that depends on large-scale public participation. Join in the fun—it’s accessible to everyone! GLOWaBOUT combines the spirit of nostalgic neighborhood games and the Indian Holi Festival to create a new event that glows, sparkles, and excites. This high-energy game is an intense visual experience.
The night begins with fortress building in the heart of Minneapolis with teams glow yellow and glow blue. After the encampments are nailed, hammered, and spray painted, get ready for a wild ceremony and processional with lots of garbage-can lid drums and homemade instruments. Then, let the games begin! Teams will take the field outside MCAD and play several rounds of Capture the Glowing Orb. Don’t know how to play? No problem—we will teach you. If you need to catch your breath between rounds or if you have come to cheer on participants, we provide the perfect place to hang out near our barrel bonfires.
Make sure you wear your best Glow Bandit costume: co-creators Beck and Samaniego dare you to champion their wild costume designs. There will be Glow Bandit face painting throughout the night, and the Pigment Throw Zone will be open during game play. Toss some color on your opponent, significant other, or friend, and watch the beautiful puffs of pigmented powder as they linger and mix in the air. Bring your camera for this amazing display as MCAD becomes a magical environment.
Bridget Beck was born in South Dakota and educated in South Dakota and Minnesota. Her large scale sculptures have been exhibited nationally and has been immersed in sculpture creation from Mark di Suevero’s Space Time Studio in New York to Kentucky’s Josephine Sculpture Park. Her work centers on the action of play and attempts to expose the complex intersections of place, belonging, and object. She has co-created other participatory art events, including the Winter Battle at Franconia Sculpture Park in Minnesota.
Carissa Samaniego was born in Colorado but has been a longtime resident of Minnesota. Her artwork takes the form of large-scale abstracted sculptures in a variety of materials. She is inspired by costume design, textiles, patterns, and the hype of a festival. Among the other participatory art events she has worked on are the Art Shanty Projects, a 24-hour art making event for Art-a-Whirl in Minneapolis, and the Watermelon/Watercraft Clash on the St. Croix River.