Chihuly Opening Weekend Sponsored by Target

June 14–15, 2008

The de Young will be free of charge from 9:30 am to 5:15 pm on Saturday and Sunday.

The Crucible, the Oakland-based non-profit arts organization that fosters a collaboration of arts, industry and community will be working with the de Young to bring a variety of visual arts demonstrations and performances to the museum this weekend.

Weekend activities will include live music, bronze casting, metal torch cutting, glowing sculpture installations, stilt walkers, safe, hands-on art making for children, clowns, circus arts and the Crucible’s Educational Response Vehicle (1960 International Harvester fire truck) that has been repurposed with its own demonstration platform for industrial fire arts.

Free, timed tickets to the special exhibition, Chihuly at the de Young, will be available at the admissions desk at the de Young. There will be no advance ticketing for this weekend. The number of tickets available to the exhibition is limited and will be issued on a first come, first served basis. Visitors will be allowed four tickets per person. Strollers, baby-carrying backpacks, diaper bags and regular backpacks must be checked before entering the special exhibition galleries. The de Young’s permanent collection galleries will be free all weekend and will not require a ticket.

Saturday, June 14

Tea Garden Drive and the Museum Entrance Stage

9:30 am–4:30 pm \ The Crucible’s Educational Response Vehicle—stations will be set up near and around the vehicle showcasing demonstrations of blacksmithing, arc welding, glass flame working and oxy-acetylene torch cutting throughout the day

10 am–4 pm \ The Von Stilt Family stilt walkers greet visitors throughout the day

10 am–4 pm \ Hands on art activities for the entire family—Texture Tower, Color Collage, and Undersea World Creatures

10 am–4 pm \ Sideshow Spectacular by $teve Ra$pa Productions—DJ Neon Bunny, extreme jugglers, contortionists, acrobatics, hula hoops, and musical saws and accordions

Wilsey Court

9:30–11 am \ Soundscape

11 am–12:30 pm \ Classical Revolution—recent graduates from the nation’s best musical conservatories

1–2:30 pm \ The Smith Dobson V Quartet—vibraphone-based modern jazz

3–4:30 pm \ Callaloo—steel drums with a cross-Caribbean mix of soca, salsa, reggae and samba grooves

Barbro Osher Sculpture Garden

Noon–4 pm \ Japonize Elephants— ten-piece musical ensemble includes glockenspiel, junk percussion, and accordion, along with guitar, bass, flute, saxophone, trumpet, fiddle, banjo, and vocals

2–2:15 pm \ Bronze pour of the Target logo, de Young logo and Crucible logo

Koret Auditorium

11 am, 1:30 pm, 3 pm \ Screenings of Chihuly at the Hot Shop documentary

Sunday, June 15

Tea Garden Drive and the Museum Entrance Stage

9:30 am - 4:30 pm \ The Crucible’s Educational Response Vehicle—demonstrations of blacksmithing, arc welding, glass flame working and oxy-acetylene torch cutting will be showcased throughout the day

Stilt walking by the Von Stilt Family throughout the day

Hands-on art activities for the entire family [see Saturday]

Circus arts and clowning all day

10 am–noon \ Blue Monk Combo—jazz ensemble of recent graduates from San Rafael High School

12:30–2 pm \ live music

2:30–4 pm \ Space Heater Blast Furnace—a combination of woodwind melodies and harmonies with noisy, machine funk

Wilsey Court

11:30 am–1 pm \ Bellow and Pluck: Rich Kuhns and Seward McCain—an eclectic combo of jazz, tango, Latin styles, and the occasional Beatles selection

1:30–3 pm \ Fishtank Ensemble—a unique blend of Gypsy, Balkan, Flamenco, Klezmer, and original tunes

3:30–5 pm \ Loop!Station: Robin Coomer and Sam Bass—who sample themselves live and “loop” the parts creating unique compositions.

Barbro Osher Sculpture Garden

Noon–4:30 pm \ Gregangelo and Velocity Circus

Noon–12:30 pm \ Les Aerials: Trapeze Arts, Foo Foo Ha!—mini circus vignettes, and fun dance routines by a mixed bag of nuts!

12:45–1:15 pm \ Musical Chanteusse Nicolette—performance, side show artist Herbie Hatman entertains with body-defying feats, fun dance routines by a mixed bag of nuts

1:30–1:55 pm \ Les Aerials: Trapeze Arts, Foo Foo Ha!—mini circus vignettes, and fun dance routines by a mixed bag of nuts!

2–2:15 pm \ The Crucible will be doing bronze pour in front of the Café Terrace Stage

2:15–2:30 pm show repeats until 4 pm

Koret Auditorium

11 am \ Screening of Chihuly at the Hot Shop documentary

1 and 2:30 pm \ Dale Chihuly presents a one-hour talk about his life’s work with an introduction by Timothy Anglin Burgard, Ednah Root Curator-in-Charge of the American Art Department. Seating is limited and tickets are necessary. Tickets: $20 (Members $15).

Piazzoni Murals Room

3:30–5 pm \ Book signing with Dale Chihuly