Recently, we worked with the fine folks at Louis Vuitton and the Museum of Natural History on a special event commemorating the 40th Anniversary of the NASA’s 1969 walk on the moon. Louis Vuitton was throwing a bash in the museum’s Rose Center for Earth and Space, and they called on us to help them install the art for the party. They also designed a limited-edition “Space Egg” to commemorate the occasion, a picture of which you can see to your left. The egg opens up to reveal compartments of miniature living quarters and stairs and steps and tiny furniture.
This project was completed over the course of three days (and nights!) and ultimately involved every member of ILevel’s crew at some point or another, with David K. and Patricia M. providing the late-night, morale-boosting phone support.
For the event, we installed art like vintage archival photos of NASA space shuttles and orbiters, the moon-landing, and other Apollo missions that lead up to it. Also, the French artist Jean Lariviere contributed five outstanding prints of his own space-based conceptual practice and a kinetic sculpture that was shiny and ethereal.
The late nights spent in the bowels of the museum provided an opportunity for catching the Ilevel boys in action as we rolled, carried, and rustled impossibly large crates from
one end of the museum to the other. There was also a great deal of expertise needed to assemble the sculpture from it’s many parts in a room entirely devoid of light. At points we were using our cell phones for illumination to help us feel our way towards assembly. A great job was done by all and the results were spectacular.
In case you were wondering, the loading dock at the Museum is only 12’6″, so if the truck you are attempting to back into it is over 13′ or so, then don’t try it or you will get stuck. In the event that you do attempt this anyway and find yourself in a late-night bind, then don’t fear. You might be tempted to panic. That is quite natural. If you do find yourseld panicking, then walk over to the “panic button” conveniently located next to the loading dock and press it. Note: only press the panic button in case of emergency as it is for emergency use only.
