PROJECT: The Ice Fire Chill Station

CONTACT INFO

Project Rep: Carter Brooks, carter@carterbrooks.com, he/him, 415-816-4593

PROJECT

Project Deets: CAT, The Ice Fire Chill Station is a 24-hour accessible room filled with melting ice displays of various sizes anchored by a central large ice display, the “ice fire.” Basically, it’s a campfire circle with ice as the fire, and ice on the periphery like torches. All the ice is presented on metal objects and stands, which the ice melts into providing fascinating optical effects. Properly uplit, the ice creates everchanging shadows and its own art on walls and ceilings. Interacting with the ice via touch is encouraged and happens naturally. The space is designed to be able to be left unattended at any time. It can be an official lounge space with 24-hour bathroom access or a more dedicated art room open for collaboration with other projects or performances. In quiet times, the sound from dripping is itself an immersive sound bath.

The Ice Fire Chill Station is also the headquarters of the Ice Marshall, that’s me. The Ice Marshall is responsible for tending and monitoring other “ice fires” that might be placed in other locations throughout the event for ambiance and participant interaction. Options could be in elevator lobbies, in the convection hall, in the stairwells, along the corridor leading in from the casino. There can also be a mobile ice fire that can migrate to different locations. 

(The title Ice Marshall obviously evokes comparison our ever present Fire Marshall and is intended to have a practical and safety oriented role as well. Specifically, I would offer my volunteer help to help Ops manage for other projects who envision using ice (or water) in their projects. This includes offering practical assistance including sourcing and delivery of ice, consultation on water containment, and evaluation of safety and protocol dealing with ice.)

Lastly, another intent of having an “ice fire” is to tie in the spirit of Saratoga Springs and Big Stick both metaphorically and directly. Melting from the beginning of the event to the end, it symbolizes the basic practice of having a sacred fire burning as a ritual when gathering. This specifically ties to the kitchen at Big Stick, because Carin McKay is the one who coined the term “ice fire” when, at one of our gatherings at Saratoga Springs, we couldn’t have a sacred fire of actual fire, but we substituted my ice as an “ice fire.” Finally, the “ice fire” is also a foreshadowing that I will propose to present ice in the fire circles for the next Big Stick. 

I have been doing ice installations for over a decade and am confident about the feasibility of creating a space on my own. However, I also view the opportunity to create a lounge or art room an opportunity to collaborate with others, particularly on lighting and space design. In addition, this is an opportunity for me to put together a small crew rather than operate as just a solo artist.

Journey: As a chill room or lounge, the participant’s experience doesn’t have a play-by-play. However, generally people’s first experience encountering the ice is to have their curiosity engaged—is that ice? Participants tend to engage in touching this ice, watching it like a fire, wondering how one makes it clear, tripping on the shadows it casts on the wall, being soothed by the sound of dripping. 

Hopefully, participations in the Ice Fire Chill Room will also naturally understand the metaphor of a campfire, and all the the things that generally unfold around a campfire—discussion, stories, singing, watching the fire—will unfold.

If other static or mobile ice projects are encountered outside of the Ice Fire Chill Station, they will have further appreciation of all the above. 

Thematic Connection: This project’s connection to the theme is more about adjusting the art to amplify the theme, than art inspired by the theme. There it is more an aesthetic and does not take participants through a defined narrative experience. It is therefore less focused on the moral themes of the event through narrative content, though it may naturally evoke those themes based on what participants naturally bring to it themselves, or infer from it. Therefore, most of the theme connection is outlined in the question below, since it overlaps the two questions asked here.

That said, melting ice unavoidably evokes recognition of a warming planet and the consequences of our industrial technologies. Most participants of this event will likely live to see the ice cap melt, for example. 

Then there is also the question, how do we gather around a fire when we can’t have fire?

Narrative Connection: While this project is not explicitly inspired by or driven by the narrative, there are a few ways it naturally fits into the narrative both literally and aesthetically. In addition, there is room to expand on the basic vision and layer in more explicit references to the theme. 

On the literal front, ice boxes using actual ice were in use up until the 1940s. There are people alive today that still remember this as our basic refrigeration technology. Ice blocks were first cut out of lakes, but by the late 1800’s ice was increasingly manufactured using machines, and naturally harvested ice died out around WWI. The large blocks of clear ice available today, that is, the 300 lbs. blocks of clear ice used primarily for ice carving today are literally a remnant of this era. 

The metaphor of the campfire, of course, harkens to an even more basic ancient technology and practice. In the context of the Y3K theme, relearning the basic art of gathering around a fire, telling stories from memory, making music without electronics, will certainly be something that would have been lost in an AI dominated world.

Aesthetically, the art will also evoke early modern and late modern technology through the objects they are melting upon. A central feature of the ice display is melting on metal. Many of the objects are antiques such as wrought iron garden plant stands, a pedal-operated Singer sewing frame, old tools, etc. 

In addition, there are other creative ways to integrate to the theme which can be explored through collaboration. During the artists social a few people were already pitching me ideas of their own. For example, the ice could be tied to a “count down” to Y3K, potentially complete with a clock activated by the dripping. The fact of the ice melting itself is a countdown. Perhaps there is a real or mimicked machine intelligence counting each actual drop.

Supporting Participants: There are no significant heavy themes related to this project. 

Some participants may naturally make the connection to climate change and melting ice caps without being prompted (or the exhibit could include this mention). 

Era: Contemporary, Late Modern, Early Modern

Participant Experience: Chill Room, Passive Interactivity, Open-Ended Interactive

Active

Mornings: Friday, Saturday, Sunday

Afternoons: Friday, Saturday, Sunday

Evenings: Friday, Saturday, Sunday

Nights: Friday, Saturday, Sunday

Late Night/Dawn: Friday, Saturday, Sunday

STATIC/ROAMING

Movement: Both

Passive Interactivity: Ice is naturally interactive. You can touch it, place objects on it that will leave impressions, play with how light refracts through it, or simply sit and watch it. People do all these things, even without prompting. However, all these things can be encouraged by example or providing explicit reminders. 

This natural tendency was demonstrated at the last Room Service as people exited the main event and encountered the ice display. I walked out and found people with their hands all over the ice in various ways, for example.

Throughput: >800, As a 24-hour chill space or lounge throughput is expected to self-regulating. However, with a crew of 3+ it would be possible to attend to and manage high traffic hours.

Placement: 1st: Regular Room; 2nd: Elevators; 3rd: Convention Center; 4th: Stairwell; Whether in addition to an art room or instead of an art room, ice art can provide both aesthic and interactive art to any space. I have found from experience that it is often enjoyed as a distributed aesthetic, rather than just one dedicated installation. 

If given an elevator lobby, there are many possibilities and scenarios, generally requiring about 2-3ft of depth from the window. Most ambitious would be to install a full 300lbs block, which generally takes between 36-48 hours to melt. This would entail building a containment structure underneath using lumber and pond liner, which is not overly complicated, and which I have done before. A second scenario would simply be a menagerie of ice of free standing pieces and/or pieces on tables. A third scenario is in between, a central large block (~75-150 lbs.) flanked by smaller freestanding pieces.

For stairwells, free standing pieces could occupy corners of the landings assuming the 2ft diameter footprint is not considered a significant blockage of the passageway by the fire marshall. 

Free standing pieces consist of waist to shoulder high stands such as garden plant stands, fireplace tool holders, or custom stands newly fabricated, which are contained by metal buckets wrapped by pond liner. Another version of an individual freestanding piece simply utilizes a standard cocktail round, with an ice piece sitting on top, on a metal stand with a large metal bowl underneath. 

Lastly, it is possible to have a mobile piece or two. This is simply a variation on static freestanding piece, but on a base with casters. So a mobile “ice fire” could, for example, be moved to the pool during the daytime, to the convention center, rotunda, elevator lobby, or lounge during the evening.

I am flexible and open to all placement scenarios, including collaborating with other projects. As the ice is constantly changing, some placement in high traffic areas can be compelling. In addition, one reason to be placed with a room is that smaller ice pieces will need to be replaced daily, and use of an otherwise unused shower is an important element. Large blocks of ice keep relatively well in standard coolers, but only if they can drain meltwater, which otherwise speeds up melting. 

Footprint: Free standingInstallations outside the art room basically have a footprint of a standard garbage can, ~2ft diameter/each. 

Elevator lobby installation, similarly requires ~2ft depth and whatever width is made available.

Structure: Over the last number of years that I have been creating ice installations I’ve found a few basic configurations for different scales that work reliably. Below I outline the methods I use for different scales, followed by some specific current ideas for the Ice Fire Chill Station specifically.

For table tops, counters or shelves, I use deep metal trays, or metal bowls ranging in diameter from 6in. - 20in., with a minimum depth of 2in up to 6in. I’ve found this is generally deep enough to be able to leave ice unattended without worrying about overflow. In the center is always a metal stand of some sort which the ice melts upon. Most of the stands are some form of found object, such as candle holders turned upside down. These are generally lit by some sort of submersible light, floating led tea candles, or a table top uplight that is outside the bowl. These configurations can accommodate pieces of ice from a small fist size pieces of ice up to larger, 25-30 lbs. pieces, which is about foot square. These were what were outside the main event at last year’s Room Service.

Floor standing pieces (i.e., “free standing”) usually use a metal stand sitting in a 18 - 22” diameter metal bucket. The buckets not only invariably leak, but water also condenses on the outside, so the buckets are wrapped on the outside with in pond liner with a layer of insulation between the bucket and the pond liner usually using repurposed yoga mats. The insulation also prevents the hard edges of the bucket from creating tears in the pond liner. The stands vary from antique garden plant stands to fireplace tool holders. These stands can hold about a 25lbs block, but also require being weighted at the bottom. I have a variety of weights I use for this purpose, but a limited supply, so may need to rent some sandbags. I usually light these with a simple clamp light outside the bucket, with a par20 light, with shades created with blackwrap. For this project I am investigating and testing submersible pond lights to add to my repertoire. 

For larger blocks more sturdy stands are used or configured. These range from an antique Singer sewing machine stand (turned upside-down) to bases created from construction scraps of large butts of i-beams and steel columns, concrete embeds and other metal scraps. 

A simple way of presenting larger blocks is using the same same 24’’ diameter metal buckets used for the floor standing pieces. But with a shorter solid base, it can accommodate much larger pieces of ice up to 75-100 lbs. (i.e., 2-3 cubic feet), which are impressive. These can be lit with submersible lights, or from the outside. Usually it is best they can be elevated. 

For a larger area and larger blocks, once creates a pond using which can be as simple as a with frame 2x4s, in which a large sheet of pond liner sits. (Same basic technique as an evaporation pond the playa.) For indoors, these frames have a solid plywood base and solid construction. For the base the ice sits upon, plywood is set on top of the liner to protect it and further distribute weight. For room service, the frame may be more creative and elaborate than a standard evaporation pond model I usually do. With this sort of setup, one can use 300lbs blocks. These are about 4h x 2w x 1d and generally take 36-48 hrs to melt outdoors in normal bay area weather. These are usually lit with standard lights from the outside of the pond. 

For the Ice Fire Chill Lounge itself, the central ice fire can be as easy as bucket, or more ambitious with a unique base. For the ice around the edges of the room, the simplest scenario could make use of existing hotel furniture and floor space. With more effort and planning, a shelfing structure would be built to both surround the room in ice, but leave the floor space to wall available to accommodate more people at a time, and a back rest. 

I am very open to collaboration especially when it comes to designing the space and any necessary fabrication. In addition, I hope to inspire the lighting crew to want to light it up.

Sound: Quiet is not required. That said, access during quiet hours will provide an opportunity to experience the soundscape of dripping ice. 

Sound may be used to amplify the dripping, either by using a simple hydrophone plugged into a standard monitor speaker. Alternatively, pending potential collaboration with a sound designer, sound could theoretically involve multiple microphones and speakers. However, even this is not envisioned to create significant sound outside the room.

Any other sound would be unamplified performances that may happen either organically or in collaboration with other artists.

LOGISTICS

Budget Requested: 850

Detailed Budget

A brief discussion of basic expenses, followed by tiered budget scenarios.

Ice. 300lbs blocks of clear ice cost $105ea and can be delivered from Reno @$40/delivery.

Fresh Pond Liner. 7x10ft pond liner ~$25. 10x13ft pond liner ~50/ea. The pond liner would not only be necessary for any constructed catchments, but would be necessary for buckets as well. ~$12.50 a bucket. This is if the installation goes beyond what I currently already have.

Lumber. I am not experienced in estimating lumber costs, and it would depend, of course, on the final vision. However, if lumber is required, it would include at a minimum plywood, and 2x4s. I would guess somewhere between $100-200 could be sufficient.

Lumber also may be used to build crates to make some of the heavier base materials loadable in the art truck.

Sandbags. I have more available stands than I do ballast weights. So, if a larger footprint, rental sandbags may be a reliable option.

Miscellaneous Sundries. Seems there is often $25-50 of minor sundries that can be necessary for any project. Gaffer tape, misc. hardware, etc.

Cargo Van Rental. $400/week + Gas ~$200. This may be a worst case scenario, where it is necessary to have place to store the ice, or it is necessary to pick up the ice in Reno. (I imagine, however, that one of the empty Take 3 trucks may be a more practical option for storing ice outside the hotel.) It also may be necessary in order to bring enough of the heavier constructions materials and a number of stands. Some of these items do not lend themselves to be loaded on the art truck, because they are loose and irregularly shaped.

Tiered Scenarios…

Tier 1 

(Small footprint static project)

E.g., 3-4 pieces in available spaces such as corner of elevator lobby, or other strategic locations. 

No new infrastructure or materials.

$145. 1 block ice & delivery

$50. miscellaneous

Total = <$200

Tier 2 

(Large Footprint Static Project)

e.g., Dedicated elevator lobby. Large blocks and small blocks

$355. Ice 3x300lbs blocks @$105 + $40 delivery

$200. Lumber

$50. Fresh Pond Liner

$50. miscellaneous

Total = <$700

Tier 3

(Ice Fire Chill Room)

Standar Room installation

$420. Ice 4x300lbs @105 + $40 delivery

$300. Lumber (exhibit fabrication and crates)

$50. Fresh Pond Liner

$50. Miscellaneous

Total = < $850

Tier 4

(ice Fire Chill Room + Static Placements + Mobile Ice)

$525. Ice 4x300lbs @105 + $40 delivery

$400. Lumber

$100. Fresh Pond Liner

$100. Sand Bag Renal?

$50. Miscellaneous

Total = < $1200

Other Expenses I would incur:

At the higher tiers, especially Tiers 3-4, there are a number of other expenses, that I would incur, most of which are equipment and investment in more capacity, so I have not included them in my budget estimates as they are not really consumables. These include

165qt Coolers @$250/ea (1-2)

Steel Buckets @$25-50/ea (2-10)

Submersible Lights @$20-40/each (5-20)

Other LIghts @$?

Upload Mats/Links: Example photos, updates to the project will be posted at this google site I’ve created for the purpose. See…

https://sites.google.com/view/the-ice-fire-chill-lounge/home

, 

CREW

Comps Requested: 3

Lodging Beds Requested: 1

Crew Roles

Lead Artist, myself, Carter Brooks

Assistant Crewmember

Fabrication Crewmember

Lighting Designer

Have you made Sponsored Art for T3? No

Number of crew who are First-Timers to Sponsored Art for T3: 1

Prior Art Projects for T3: At Room Service last year, I was able to present a smaller example of my ice art as a tag along with the Madame Clavé (spelling?) ice sculpture commissioned at the last minute. It was lit by the lighting crew, and remained even after the Madame Clavé sculpture was moved outside.

Grease, Puppy, in particular made note.

ARTIST SUPPORT:

Do you or any of your crew members identify as BIPOC, working class, queer, trans/gender non-conforming, disabled, and/or part of another marginalized identity? No, 

Do you have any suggestions for how we might make our events more inclusive, safe or accessible for people of marginalized identities? 

Do you or any of your crew members have access needs that you would like to share with us? 

Do you have any ideas for ways we could improve our support for artists? not yet

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