THE EVENTART INSTALLATION
Conrad Kurrle - Director & Co-designer
Patrick White - Designer
Joseph Stafford - Creative Support
Peter Chang - Creative Support
BARE, INC. proclaims “WE DO NOT SELL THIS MUG.” Instead their installation gave them away, each with a hidden QR code leading participants to their website.
THE ANNOUNCEMENT
The Announcement & The Event is a BARE, INC. para-retail installation that turns a BARE, INC. recurring prop (the mug) into “non-merch” to test how meaning spreads through circulation rather than purchase. A staffless not-store presented neatly lined, unpriced ceramics, that removed gatekeeping and invited self-selection.
A QR hidden on each mug base redirected to the BARE, INC. short film archive, creating a loop: object → curiosity → narrative. We designed the installation in-house and distributed the mugs to an audience of 250,000 people at Hoopfest 2023 (Spokane, Washington).
The Announcement video was released cryptically ahead of The Event installation, followed by promotional posters and full photo & video documentation.
THE EVENT
I directed this project, overseeing concept and execution. Patrick White designed the posters, booth backdrop, and icon imagery; and together with Joseph Stafford, we managed setup and operations. From a distance, we documented how audiences engaged: few hesitated over whether mugs were for purchase, others instincively grabbed multiples, and some scanned the hidden QR code, loitering as they browsed our catalog of projects. In this ambiguity, visitors effectively became investigators: their initial confusion rewarded with discovery, amusement, and deeper engagement in our work.
(top menu)