2017 | baraka

2017 GALLERY:

RESIDENCY PROJECT 2017

A Hilarious Healing Game and creating the Dodo Derby

Two artists, a sculptor and a performance artist, were selected to spend a month at Baraka creating a Hilarious Healing Game for two local communities, Millbrook and Stanfordville. The two artists, Lily Cheng and Steph Wadman, hail from different backgrounds and geographies, but came together to create the Dodo Derby, a game that challenges and provokes the communities to unite in the Dodo spirit of shedding inhibitions. The game took form in man powered cart-like structures inspired by common and exotic birds, the Rooster, Penguin, Flamingo, and Turkey.

The artistic duo states that they want to "encourage participants and ourselves to experience different perspectives through interaction with our work. Responding to Baraka’s call to make a “hilarious healing game," we approached how to foster a feeling of unity and loss of inhibitions through a common goal and physical silliness... Inspired by the nostalgia and love of cars of the Stanfordville community, we created a derby as an accessible, fun and challenging way to highlight everyone’s different and possibly hidden strengths. Similar to summer picnic games, the Dodo Derby starts with the drive to be the fastest as an entry point into the joy of creative flailing with others."

Be sure to check out the News section to see community day updates

Let the testing begin! Lily+Steph Test Prototype cars	Yoke style Playing with carts that are pulled	Dolly Style
Creating models Playing with proportions and body sizes	Planning and drawing Lots of time spent hashing through problems and safety issues	Preliminary sketch of an egg cart Sketches often were transformed into a new idea while building the cars
1st version of The Rooster Prototyping steering and pushing controls	1st version of The Penguin Two golf carts strung together with a fire wood basket to make the 1st rendition of the penguin	The Bone Wheel Yard Many prototypes were cast aside, but all were instrumental in fuelling the final outcome.
Steph and Onnig in studio Getting down to business building the first two cars the Penguin and the Rooster.	Studio work (Steph) The satisfaction of a chainsaw	Studio Work (Lily) Lily works on the Young Penguin carving away at any sharp or uncomfortable bumps.
The Young Penguin The Young Penguin is specialized for smaller people and is outfitted with soft foam wheels. Get on your belly and slide on the ice!	Young Penguin all dressed up	Big Penguin ready for the races
Wood steaming set-up Steamed wood was bent in order to make many custom curved components of the cars	Lily keeps the fire stoked	1st wood bending day
Editing templates in the moment	Template for Flamingo Legs Curved pieces were needed to make horizontal leg braces for the Flamingo.	Flamingo Plan
Lily finishing up the Flamingo	The Flamingo	Steering column for the Rooster
The Rooster	Big Penguin, Young Penguin, Rooster Ready for the first games.	Steph giving a ride on the Rooster
In Progress Turkey	The Turkey The Turkey went through many different phases and changes.	The Purple Turkey The turkey has a special hidden rider under the seat
Millbrook Community Day commences!	Stanfordville Community Day Set-up	Steph and Lily celebrate the races
The Dodo Leader board	Dodo Awards