Day Three: The Event

Brush High School students Chealsia Smedley and Shayna Mell report on the opening night environment ...

This is the day we've all been working towards; the opening. During the day, SPACES is bustling with constant activity. There was an excess of things to prepare, but in due time, with a touch of magic, everything was ready to go.

A line forms outside of Josh Parker's installation: "Sometimes an entrance is actually an exit."

The event: 7:00 p.m. Things were at a good pace. The food was nearly gone, there was a long line outside of the tunnel, and Kristin Bly's room of viewer portraits was being created right before our eyes. One viewer, on his way to Bly's room expressed," I feel like it's all potential," which it certainly was.

At 7:30 p.m. Arzu Ozkal came waltzing in, fully equipped with hooks and ropes. She included the audience, in a pulling performance leading her into her empty space. "SPACES has been doing a lot of creative things. It's not passive, I love it," said involved audience member, Elaine Hcilinen.

Every artist was pushed far beyond their comfort areas. I'm entrusting people with myself, and I'm hoping that they don't take advantage of me," said artist Ben Kinsley who auctioned himself off. Ben, who usually directs people to surprise others, now had to allow himself to be surprised and directed.

Arzu Ozkal and her color commentator Eleanor Lebeau prepare to enter SPACES for their live performance.

Even though I knew art and creativity would be utilized and challenged; it was still surprising to actually witness it myself. Witness the artist's showing of their challenges, and witness the public's reaction to that challenge. The experience was cultivating, inspiring, and something that I would never take back.

By: Chealsia Smedley and Shayna Mell