(continued from 11/27/2011) Nearly half a million volts of electricity are handled by a Flam Chen performer standing atop a Tesla coil. Here we see the lightning-like electrical discharge created by the coupled resonant electric circuits.

Aerialist Aurelia performs with chains hanging through the center of the metal tower as Ensphere performs live music.

A slow-shutter photo of the fire spinning portion of the performance.

Dramatic fire explosions filled the vaults, and punctuated the beginning of the climax of the performance.

As one acquainted with futurism may see here, many parallels exist between Flam Chen's ELECTROPOLIS and Fritz Lang's groundbreaking masterpiece film Metropolis. Metropolis is a 1927 German expressionist science-fiction film which comments on the relationship between an elite class of workers and their subterranean subordinates, with significant creative focus given to architecture, cities and robot-men. Read more about Metropolis here: Read More

At the end of the show, fire flashed and smoke engulfed the Vaults in an enormously colorful and exciting conclusion to a highly original and one of a kind showcase of talent, technology and coordination.

The 2011 ELECTROPOLIS event at Arcosanti began with a performance by taiko drumming group Odaiko Sonora from Tuscon, Arizona. The group is dedicated to increasing familiarity with and understanding of taiko drumming in the Tuscon community. Odaiko Sonora works with over 30,000 people annually through classes, master workshops, performances, school residencies and team building workshops.

At 7:30 PM, circus and fire performance group Flam Chen was accompanied by musicians from Ensphere in a spectacular dual-stage physical art performance. One of the first acts, shown here, involved stilt-walking and alternative rock music.

Here we see the Ensphere musicians in live performance. The group is comprised of lead vocalist Randall Swindell, drummer Michael Ludovici, guitarist Ryan Stertz and violinist & bassist Serena Rose.

A full view of the dual-stage.

A truly daring stunt about to begin - an androidlike Flam Chen performer stands atop a 500,000 volt Tesla coil to interact with the electricity. (Check back this Friday to see the apparatus in action!)

Congratulations to the June 19th, 2011 workshop graduates!

top from left: Antonio Chelen [Chile], Rebekah Merck, Ailsa Ten Eyck, Stephanie Hamilton, Renee Swetz, Alfia White, Mark Velozo

bottom from left: Simone Peni [Italy, scholarship], Dominic Roselli, Alexander Johnson

Flam Chen and Ensphere, having nearly completed stage setup, go through a dress rehearsal to practice for the upcoming performance on Saturday, July 23rd.

Ensphere performs a piece with violin, guitar, bass, drum and synthesizers.

Dancing is performed on top of the central tower, where Tesla coils (!) will be engaged during the performance.

Dual stages are used to showcase physical performance art with accompanying musical performance.

More to come!

The 2011 ELECTROPOLIS event at Arcosanti, created by modern daredevil performance art troupe Flam Chen, with original score by Ensphere, is being set up in the Vaults. Here we see the front of the bare stage, with a central structure for performers, props and Tesla coils -yes, Tesla coils!-.

The sound board [left] and instruments are tuned in to match the unique acoustics of the Vaults.

A view from backstage - the finished lighting apparatus will be powered by around 30,000 watts of electricity, and the speakers will be powered by over 10,000 watts of electricity.

Ensphere practices their original score.

More to come!

Arcosanti Site Coordinator, Mary Hoadley, thanked everybody for attending, and introduced a very special pasta delivery system to the 2011 Italian Night guests: Wheelbarrows!

Here we see construction crew leader, Guy Flagg, giving the hold signal to the café staff on wheelbarrow duty as Mary finishes her introduction.

The wheelbarrows were rolled out into the Vaults, and Arcosanti volunteers began serving the guests. Here we have diligent workers Andrea Speed [public relations], Julie Pedtke [planning intern], and Toni Fragiacomo [maintenance].

The night made a smooth transition into the Colly Soleri Amphitheater, where classical pianist Sonya Lee performed alongside vocalist & actress Melina Kalomas for the 2011 Italian Night audience.

2011 marks Sonya Lee's 10th appearance at the Colly Soleri Amphitheater. Ms. Lee has performed as a soloist and as a chamber musician at world-renowned concert halls including Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall, Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, Create Center Hall and Aoyama Hall in Osaka, Japan, the Salles de Colonnes in Fontainebleau, France, The Wheeler Opera House in Aspen, CO, at the home of comedian Victor Borge in the U.S. Virgin Islands, at the French Consulate in Washington, D.C. ,and was presented in her Orange County recital debut to a sold-out crowd at the Earl Miller Burns Japanese Gardens at Cal State Long Beach. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from The Juilliard School, where she studied with pianists Emanuel Ax and Oxana Yablonskaya.

Melina Kalomas has performed at major theaters and concert halls throughout the U.S. and abroad, including the Pantages Theater in Los Angeles, The Orange County Performing Arts Center, the Cadillac Palace Theater in Chicago, and the Boston Opera House. Melina earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree after being accepted to the prestigious Musical Theater program at Carnegie Mellon University.

Many thanks to all the Arcosanti volunteers and visiting musicians that made this event possible!

The 2011 Italian Night at Arcosanti began dinner with the serving of hummus, olive oil, bread, olive spread, carrots, celery and other hors devours.

The café staff prepared large amounts of pasta to put into special Arcosanti wheelbarrows from which the delectable entrees would be served.

The pasta was mixed and dressed with basil leaves.

The café staff was more than happy to pose for a group photo when the cooking was finished. (Thank you Arcosanti café staff!)

[FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, July 13, 2011]

NEW LEADERSHIP AT COSANTI FOUNDATION

Arcosanti, Arizona, July 13, 2011 - The Cosanti Foundation in Paradise Valley, Arizona announced today that its founder, internationally renowned architect Paolo Soleri has retired as its President and CEO. 

"There are other things that I want to accomplish," said the 92-year-old Soleri. "I am ready to leave the management of the Foundation and its primary project - the urban laboratory Arcosanti - to the next generation."

That generation will now be led by Boston Architect Jeff Stein AIA who has been elected the Foundation's new President by its Board of Trustees. Stein, a longtime Soleri collaborator, leaves his post as dean of the Boston Architectural College, the oldest and largest independent college of design in the nation, to accept the position in Arizona.

Preserving the enormous Soleri legacy while continuing to strengthen the Foundation as it pursues new areas of urban research is on our agenda ahead," said Stein. "All of us connected with Paolo and the Foundation are looking forward to a new era in its work."


A letter for the Wednesday Morning Meeting…


Arcosanti Community Colleagues:

Good morning; it's Jeff Stein sending you this note. This is an important moment for Arcosanti. Please know that I am thankful that you are all here, and accept my sincere apology for not being present with you this morning to share this news in person. It is a surprise - but a welcome one – for me to accept my new role as President of the Cosanti Foundation - in Paolo Soleri’s good stead. Every one of us have been brought here by the ideas of Paolo Soleri. For the past two years, our friend and mentor, Paolo, has pondered his eventual retirement. This past weekend at our Cosanti Foundation Board meeting he made it official: at age 92 he has relinquished his management responsibilities with the Foundation, and with Arcosanti in particular.

Our job now is to move Arcosanti forward, to honor Paolo's legacy, your ongoing good work, and the work of 8,000 others who have helped to build and grow this place over the past 40 years. We are in a real “What If” position at this time, and the Whole World lies before us. We are fortunate to have Paolo here with us as we continue our journey and work to move Arcosanti forward. I do not expect his thoughts - or the genius of his spirit - to stop within the state of grace that is retirement.

As we now redouble our efforts on site, our intention will be to move forward together in full honor of Paolo. And have fun doing so! The job is to make Arcosanti a place where we can do the best work of our lives, keeping in mind the significant experimental nature of this place and what it may mean to the culture at large.

In the space / time between today and my arrival in September, please know that Mary Hoadley and Tomiaki Tamura, as Officers of the Foundation, are in charge. They have the legal responsibility - and the confidence and respect of both Paolo and myself - for management decisions at Arcosanti.

I am honored to accept this complex new role and responsibility, which again, is a surprise. I believe that this is the right thing to do, even if it is not the easy thing to do. As Paolo and the Cosanti Board have decided that this is how it will be, I look forward to contributing to the daily work at Arcosanti, and spending time in serious discussion with all of you about how best to do that in future.

Best.
Jeff


Jeff Stein AIA, President, Cosanti Foundation

The preparation for the 2011 Italian Night at Arcosanti continued with the bottling of imported Italian olive oil for serving with bread and cheese.

A backstage Vaults prep table was set up with the help of many volunteers in red aprons. On it sat vegetables, sauces and hors devours.

Here we see Julie Pedtke [planning intern] arranging a decorative sunflower and cattail vase.

Workshop participant Mark Velozo puts the finishing touches on the table settings.

The finished Vault dinner table set.

A south-facing view of the Vaults, with the dinner staff eagerly anticipating the coming guests.

More to come!

This years ITALIAN NIGHT took place this past Saturday evening, a beautiful event, well organized and enjoyable for crew and visitors alike.

Here we see the crew at the organization meeting with Tomiaki Tamura, who has choreographed this event in years past.

The many chairs in the amphitheater were washed and dried.

Many tables and chairs were set up for dinner in the Vaults and were washed and dried.

Chef Caterina put together the menu, and with her crew of volunteers presented an outstanding meal, delicious!!

The crew signed up for different teams, this team, amongst other chores, prepared the hors devours and sliced bread.

This team, again amongst many other chores, wrapped silverware into napkins.

There will be more about this event posted on 7/13 and 7/15/11.

A group of 25 individuals from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona visited Arcosanti as part of a four week program titled "Rethinking the Land Ethic". The group, comprised of participants from across the country, spent an hour in the Soleri Archives to discuss sustainability and the concept of Arcology with Paolo Soleri.

Represented were perspectives from ethicists, philosophers, art teachers, and other educators. The group was led by co-directors Joan McGregor, Professor of Philosophy at Arizona State University, and Dan Shilling, with the ASU Institute for Humanities Research.

Pictured here is Paolo Soleri, and his editor, Lissa McCullough, Ph.D. Lissa acted as a facilitator for this wonderful dialogue on the implementation and implications of sustainable living.

Read more about NEH, NAU and their programs on sustainability here: NAU Sustainability

The Paolo Soleri Archives, established at Arcosanti since 1993, is raising funds for the purchase of a much-needed video camcorder to document the ongoing progress of the world's first prototype arcology. Due to the breakdown of older equipment, we are currently unable to document motion video on digital and tape mediums.

This means that many of the important and exciting events at Arcosanti, including Paolo Soleri's School of Thought, music festivals, guest speakers, classes, lectures and construction projects are not being preserved on video in the Paolo Soleri Archives.

Having consulted a number of videographers and archival professionals, we have decided on the following camera, a Canon XH-A1S 3CCD HDV Professional Camcorder: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004LCJCMA/ref=olp_product_details?ie=UTF8&me=&seller=

This camcorder has the ability to record directly to both tape and digital media, providing a perfect archival solution for the long-term preservation of Arcosanti's historic progress. We have raised about 50% of the $3,500 that we need, and we are asking Arcosanti alumni and supporters to provide the remaining funds for this very important purchase.



Your donation would be greatly appreciated by the Archives staff, including students, volunteers and interns, and by everybody looking back upon these formative moments in Arcosanti's history. You can send a check, made out to COSANTI FOUNDATION, at HC 74, Box 4136, Mayer, AZ, 86333 or make your donation through your PayPal account at the button below. You do not have to be a PayPal member to use your credit card. Thank you!

In the evening of the 2011 summer solstice, and Paolo Soleri's 92nd birthday, Arcosanti celebrated the annual Burning Tongue event.

Residents, friends and workshop participants gathered in the Vaults for a night of incredibly spicy dishes and hors devours.

The fare ranged from Ghost Pepper Popsicles to full entrees awash with hot spices.

Two very typical faces: Chugging a water bottle, and preparing to burn one's tongue.

"Burning Tongue" is the brainchild of architect and 3D Master Young Soo Kim, who is part of the Arcosanti Planning Department.

Welcome to the June 19th, 2011 Arcosanti workshop participants!

From top left: Alexander Johnson, Dominic Roselli, Mark Velozo, Rebekah Merck, Ailsa Ten Eyck, Antonio Chelen [Chile]

From bottom left: Stephanie Hamilton, Renee Swetz, Alfia White, Simone Peni [Italy, scholarship]