The high cost of gas threatened to slam the door on the return of an interactive art installation called “Doorgan.”
But the manager of the Rob Schouten Gallery, Victory Schouten, managed to swing open the prospects again for the piece.
The artwork, created by the collaborative art group “The Dharmic Engineers” and not seen since 2005, is rescheduled to be installed at Greenbank Farm during the Loganberry Festival, Saturday, July 26 and Sunday, July 27.
Eric Clarke of Culligan Northwest in Bellingham was ready to donate the loading truck but was advised against the loan by their insurance company.
Gallery manager Victory Schouten said Clarke was well-meaning and regretted having to withdraw his offer to loan the loader.
“He was very nice and generously offered $100 toward the cost of the truck rental. But we realized with mileage and gas to and from Bellingham and back, the truck would cost us about $400 we couldn’t afford,” Schouten said.
Schouten said when they let the Greenbank Farm staff know the news to cancel the exhibit, everyone was disappointed.
Greenbank Farm event director Steve Marriot offered to see if he could borrow a suitable truck from his grandfather.
“Happily he was successful,” Schouten said.
Clarke came through with his $100 donation toward the gas needed and several people have offered to help with loading in and out, Schouten said.
“It has really become a wonderful team effort,” she added.
“Doorgan” consists of seven freestanding doors representing the seven chakras of yogic meditation. This interactive installation weaves together symbols of Western and Mayan art and culture, the mythologies of Orpheus and of Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent, as well as modern iconic imagery.
The framework for each door contains a loop tape player, which adds the element of sound when a door is opened. This enables “Doorgan” to be used collaboratively with artists in other disciplines, such as music, poetry and dance.
All of the artists from “The Dharmic Engineers” are currently displaying new art at the Rob Schouten Gallery, which makes the installation even more timely.
Schouten said the Loganberry Festival is a good venue for the piece because people of all ages and interests can appreciate such an installation.
“It’s inclusive art. People enjoy the fun of it; kids like it, it’s unique in that it slows people down so they listen and linger there and examine the art on the doors more closely,” she said.
