I’m not sure how or why the Starn Twins went from torn and taped photographs to large bamboo structures, but I was intrigued and excited that I would be in Manhattan to see and climb Big Bambú (the name comes from the Cheech and Chong album from the 70s). I visited on the early side of its month-long build, when it was only 25 feet tall--not its final 65 foot height.
The first part of the piece is an elaborate legal "ceremony" involving signing waivers, checking shoes for proper treads, handing out tickets, cross-checking the list, going to a locker area to empty pockets, all while the participants giggled and chatted. I loved the process, all in the name of art.
Unfortunately, and a big unfortunately here for me, this meant no cameras could accompany us on the structure. I understand the Starn Twins wanted to be able to document their creation from the inside as it morphed over the month, and there were worries about cameras or phones being dropped on the heads of the people walking below the structure, but I felt deprived. And honestly if you dropped your camera (which no one ever does) you would just pick it up off the tightly tied bamboo ramp.
There was nothing particularly Starn-like to me about the piece (not that what they have done in the past should have anything to do with what they choose to do in the future...I'm just saying). I loved the idea that this structure--built similarly to the functional scaffolding used in Asian countries -- was made solely for its physical and visual delight. The structure was intentionally convoluted with lots of lines coming together in a large cresting wave at the top. The strapping, put in place by a bevy of rock climbers, was decorative, colorful and intricately tied. You couldn't help but find the piece beautiful.
..and all of it delicately balanced on the ends of the bamboo poles.
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