Courtesy The Trustees of Reservations
The Trustees of the Reservations will host New Horizon, a hot air balloon with a mirror-like surface July 12 to 14 at Long Point in West Tisbury. The balloon may also make an appearance at the FARM Institute in Edgartown.
“That one’s up in the air,” Trustees Vineyard stewardship manager Chris Kennedy said.
The balloon is the creation of installation artist Doug Aitken, and will be showcased as part of The Trustees’ Art and the Landscape Initiative. For $250, the public can ride in the balloon and will get breakfast to boot in what are dubbed “sunrise experiences,” according to Trustees spokeswoman Katie Marshall. At $25 for Trustees members and $40 for nonmembers, folks can alternatively attend “Happenings,” which don’t include a ride in the balloon, but do include “music and conversations, artists and speakers,” Marshall noted.
The balloon itself is 100 feet by 60 feet, and is made of “70 denier high-tenacity nylon with a reflective Mylar laminate coating,” according to Marshall.
The Trustees began the Art and the Landscape initiative in 2016, using nationally and internationally recognized artists “to create site-specific, public art aimed at enhancing and enriching visitor experiences at its properties,” a release states. “The Trustees’ Art & The Landscape initiative aims to change the paradigm of artwork in public space from objects that are meant solely to be observed and contemplated, to structures that are catalysts for interaction, exchange, dialogue, and participation. With thoughtful planning and strong curatorial leadership, Art & the Landscape ties together threads of art, nature, community, and history. The installations are temporary, lasting approximately six months to a year in duration, and in the case of New Horizon, two weeks. By leveraging the unique attributes of Trustees’ sites, artists have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to develop singular projects that could not happen anywhere else in the world.”
After the Vineyard, which kicks off New Horizon’s tour, the balloon will visit the Holmes Reservation in Plymouth, Castle Hill in Ipswich, and Naumkeag in Stockbridge, among other Trustees properties.
This article by Rich Saltzberg originally appeared on mvtimes.com.
