Thanks to all of you who helped out with Interspecies Invitational Installation!
By the end of the end of the day (7:30 PM) we had no ribbons left and we began cutting campus maps into strips for people who were still coming and wanting to weave their “veritas” into the web.
People wrote their “truth” in more than fourteen languages including Azerbaijani, Chinese, French, German, Hungarian, Japanese, Korean, Russian, and Turkish.
A judge from the high court in Budapest left her “igazság” with us. A songwriter gave me a web-side serenade with her spider song. Leslie Brunetta, co-author of Spider Silk, joined us for lively discussion about silk and evolution. We seemed to be a hit not only with the adults but also with the under-seven crowd who especially loved our chocolate rose garden.
Thanks to each of you for your part in making it happen and for making our project so much fun! For me personally, the opportunity to create a piece that invites a passerby into an experience to learn about science through a participatory art event is a treat – a lot of work, but also a chance I’m so grateful for.
With much appreciation,
Sarah
on behalf of Hyptiotes veritas and The Harvard Spinnerets
Number of chocolate roses: 94
Number of cartes de visite: 375
Number of languages people wrote their truth: 14 (at least), including:
1. Azerbaijani
2. Chinese
3. English
4. French
5. German
6. Hungarian
7. Italian
8. Japanese
9. Korean
10. Latin
11. Malay
12. Russian
13. Spanish
14. Turkish
The Interspecies Invitational Team
Hyptiotes veritas and the “Harvard Spinnerets”
Selena (Web Engineer) Kim, Harvard ’15: logistics and design
Bex (The 8th Eye) Kwan, Harvard ’14: photodocumentation and video production
Kyle (Web Guru) Werder, Harvard ‘14: website designer
Sarah (Principal Interspecies Investigator) Kariko ’90, MCZ Visiting Scholar: Project Director
Laura (Personal Assistant to Hyptiotes veritas) Leibensperger, MCZ Curatorial Assistant: general assistance
Hyptiotes (Guest Artist) veritas, Harvard 1636: web architect
The Spinnerets would like to thank the following:
President of Harvard University Drew Faust, for her vision and being the President “who puts Arts First.”*
The Office for the Arts at Harvard University
Anthony Pacillo, Senior Manager of Harvard Yard and Freshman Dormitories, for logistical help
Rob Gogan, Supervisor of Recycling and Solid Waste Removal, for supplying us with wonderful re-purposed materials from the Recycling Yard and his sense of humor
Jason Luke, Associate Director for Custodial and Support Services, and Paul Remeika for creative solutions and materials to ensure a sound infrastructure for Hyptiotes‘ web
Arielle Aserizzi, Lisa Barthelson, Jenn Houle, Bettina Lengsfeld, Jennifer Lenihan, and Mary Sear for helping sew the “Veritas” ribbons
Penny Benson, Ramona Islam, Bettina Lengsfeld and Kate Sheridan for helping Hyptiotes veritas with her web
Michelle, for supplying us with web materials
Jackie O’Neill and staff at the Marshal’s Office for 375th Birthday Party goodies
Bow & Arrow Press, especially: Ted Ollier, Zach Taylor & Felix Diaz (the Pressmen who keep it all rolling) and in memory of Gino Lee (who got it all started)
Liz Lerman, for connecting The Harvard Spinnerets as well as Kate Freer and Dave Tennent of Media Room 404, Bess Paupeck of 29 Garden Street, and Lori Gross, Associate Provost of Arts and Culture
Invertebrate Zoology Collections and Giribet Lab at Harvard’s Museum of Comparative Zoology, especially:
Professor Giribet, Curator, and Adam Baldinger, Curatorial Associate
Leslie Brunetta, Betsy Gould, Bettina Lengsfeld, Attila and Joan Kariko, Lynne Klemmer, Dan Rossman, and Sirarpi Heghinian Walzer for helping us out at the web during the Arts First Festival.
Thanks also to Prof. Herbert Levi and Lorna Levi, Tiff Bluemle and Liz Shane, Kate Sheridan, Jerry Swope, The Wolf Pack, and Nancy Baldoni.
*Quoting Jack Megan, Director of the Office for the Arts during his introduction of President Faust on Friday, April 20, 2012 at A Conversation with David Michalek, creator of Slow Dancing, moderated by Giuliana Bruno and Jill Johnson at Boylston Hall, Harvard University.
