The Paseo: Christina Sporrong’s TaranTula

THE PASEO, A FESTIVAL BRINGING THE ARTS OF INSTALLATION, PERFORMANCE, AND PROJECTION TO THE STREETS OF TAOS, IS COMING UP ON SEPTEMBER 25 & 26, FOR ITS SECOND YEAR OF CELEBRATING ‘UNHANGABLE ART.’ LIVETAOS AND KNCE ARE PARTNERING WITH THE PASEO TO BRING YOU GREAT INTERACTIVE COVERAGE BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER THE EVENT!

THIS SERIES PROFILES SOME OF THE MANY FABULOUS ARTISTS BRINGING THE PASEO TO LIFE FOR A SECOND YEAR.


tarantula going up

Taosena Christina Sporrong is back for her second year at The Paseo, bringing her giant sculpture TaranTula to the Taos streets. We caught up with her to ask few questions about her work, public art, this year’s festival, and what keeps her inspired:

 

What’s the best part about being a hometown artist involved in The Paseo?

I love Taos and love creating and participating in events in Taos. I also love sharing what I do, and what inspires me here, with the community at large.

 

What do you think The Paseo’s focus on “unhangable art” brings to the contemporary creative dialogue?

For me, it’s about the inclusiveness vs. exclusiveness of art. Public space is just that — it’s public. I am a big fan of inspiring the masses and starting a dialogue with people in an unusual “art” space — the space itself can be the foundation for a conversation that then can move on to what the space contains. I do appreciate museums and hangable art as well, but I see that as yesteryear’s way of distilling society. The future is blown wide open, and I expect to see and create more art that belongs in some random public space, and in our created “virtual space” as well.

 

Tell us about TaranTula. How long did she take to create? Where else has she wandered?

She was built in about 6 weeks for her debut in NOLA at a festival called Voodoo. She was inspired by the many years of watching the tarantulas come out and wander right around now — the mark of Fall. When we took her down a few days ago (she was up on the mesa) we saw our first real tarantula of the season!

 

This being the second year of The Paseo, what are you most looking forward to for the future of this festival?

I hope we as a town can support and sustain an art festival like this and have more innovative and creative art coming from areas close by as well as far. It’s an excellent reason to come out and see what is going on outside of our mountains, and to get our community together in a physical space.

For our readers who are really interested in what you do, who else should they check out? and/or, who inspires you and why?

I am often influenced by performance art and edgy music and art — I like underground artists who have their ear to the ground and the ability to express what they hear. Filastine, who happens to be a dear old friend, and who is playing the Paseo after party, is a good example of that. Swoon, with her various installations and boats and poetic performance is another good example. I am in awe of Europe’s kinetic artists including Royal Delux out of France and Dead Chickens out of Germany. I love marching bands, graffiti and gritty art.

 

Read any good books lately?

No, I have a toddler. But I have listened to some great podcasts on Ted Radio Hour on “How we Learn,” and almost anything on Radio Lab. Also, the Edward Snowden movie Citizen Four is a provocative piece.

 

What’s the best part about autumn in Taos?

Tarantulas!