We're excited to announce that our community member, Sharon Pederini, is taking her Infiniswing installation to Burning Man! This amazing project was awarded the coveted Honoraria grant from the Burning Man organization – a grant highly regarded in the art world – out of 1,500 submitted proposals. Our team got a chance to talk to the artist behind the double swing bench installation and learned more about the inspiration behind it:
"During the pandemic, I saw people sitting on the ends of benches, trying to talk to each other across the distance," Sharon said. "I wished I could just cut the bench in half and make them face each other. More than ever, I noticed people's longing for intimacy, interaction, and dialogue. That's when I was inspired to create something that helps people connect. This installation was born from the desire to awaken the child within us. It provides a visual and experiential response to our shared need for connection and play. Its interactive nature makes the viewer a participant, becoming part of the artwork. Participation completes the creation."
The Infiniswing is a climbable structure that includes a face-to-face swing at its center, its rounded frame inspired by the Möbius strip. By inviting participants to move together, the swing creates a setting for spontaneous communication and play. With the Infiniswing, you can engage in various ways: swing, make eye contact, climb, lay down face-to-face, and choose the balance between solitude and togetherness. Radical inclusion and radical connection are the intentions behind the creation.
Sharon is a mother of two, and her children are her greatest inspiration. She comes from a lineage of Yemeni filigree jewelers, but she was born and raised in Manhattan, New York. She moved to Tel Aviv to learn the ancient family technique from her two elderly uncles in their twilight years. She practices an age-old craft traditionally associated with men and revitalizes it in the spirit of our times.
"As a mother, I witness the magic and potential of a child's mind every day, yet I also know how society can limit and suppress it as they grow up. I believe that nurturing a sense of curiosity and play is key to our growth as individuals and, by extension, as a society," she shares.
"As a certified Fairmined jeweler, I believe not only in using high-quality and sustainable materials, but also in creating quality works that will outlast us and be enjoyed by future generations. The Infiniswing is a 'zero-waste' creation that, in its entirety, will move to a new location where many can connect with it and enjoy it for many years."
But wait, there's more! Infiniswing will serve as a basis for research on "cooperation and depolarization through synchronized movement." Studies show that synchronized movement enhances cooperation and social interaction. The act of swinging has been proven to be calming, providing sensory balance and easing tension. As an art installation, Infiniswing is an ongoing, open invitation to passersby to reflect and form new internal (neural, sensory, and cognitive) structures.
Good luck, Sharon!
Comments