The Camper (2015)
In the Spring of 2015, The Birdsell Project, LLC invited me to use a 1984 motorhome as a site for a mobile, interactive installation. Inspired by childhood summers in a trailer at a campground, I refurbished the interior and exterior, creating an interactive experience both inside and outside the motorhome. I wanted to create an installation that encompassed the entire campground experience, from the personal trailer to the social rec hall. By providing a simulated campground experience in an unexpected urban setting with toys, games and nostalgic ephemera, The Camper prompted spontaneous social environments where family and friends, children and adults gathered and shared in each other’s company.
The Camper was exhibited at various locations from the fall of 2015 to the spring of 2016. Locations included Art Beat art fair and The Purple Porch Coop in South Bend, IN, ArtPrize 7 in Grand Rapids, MI, and Fuller Projects and Rainbow Bakery in Bloomington, IN.
The renovation:
Inside the motorhome, the carpet was replaced with cork flooring, the cushions with new foam and fabric, and the valances with new fabric. New curtains were sewed, and the cabinets were lined with salvaged lumber. The motorhome's exterior was scrubbed and polished, windows and awning were washed, and the spare tire cover painted. To avoid dealing with a working bathroom in an art installation, the bathroom sink and toilet were filled with soil and cacti & succulents were planted. Covering the interior walls were original photographs from my childhood.
