BLOCH, a global traveling art project, to make only North American stop in North Dakota
BLOCH press conference
Monday, June 23 at 11 a.m.
In The Chips Carving Workshop, 303 1st St. N, Moorhead
Learn more about Bloch: bloch23781.com
BLOCH, an interactive global art project featuring a large tree trunk, is making one stop in each continent and North Dakota has been selected as the North American location. It is currently being housed at In The Chips Carving Workshop before making appearances at the Street Fair (July 17-19) and the Hjemkomst Center (August 3) in addition to numerous locations throughout the state. See attached release for location details.
The core of this unique project is a large tree trunk called Bloch, which originates from an ancient Swiss tradition where the last tree felled for the season travels to several villages before being sold to the highest bidder. Swiss artists Com&Com have purchased Bloch with the intent of expanding this tradition to reach the entire globe. So far it has traveled to Berlin, Taiwan, Shanghai and Singapore and will continue to other continents after its North Dakota visit.
The goal of Bloch is to create a dialogue among people, using artistic expression to develop a worldwide conversation about tradition, people and customs. As Bloch travels to each continent, local artists will contribute to Bloch and add their story or mark to the tree.
Please join the North Dakota Council on the Arts, Downtown Community Partnership, the Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County, The Arts Partnership, Fargo-Moorhead Convention and Visitors Bureau, and North Dakota State University as we showcase Bloch and inform the media of planned activities while in North Dakota.
Images, from top: North Dakota state folklorist Troyd Geist looks at BLOCH as it first arrives in Fargo-Moorhead; BLOCH as part of the finale of “Der Professionalisierte Bürger” by Bazon Brock at the ZKM Karlsruhe in Germany; BLOCH on the street in Berlin, Germany; BLOCH as a centerpiece for a fashion show in Shanghai, China. Top photo courtesy of Troyd Geist, other photos via bloch23781.com.
