I was invited to do a project at Pompei in Brooklyn in 2021 and decided to take the opportunity to make some work that addressed my immediate surroundings and my own efforts to clean urban beaches near my home in NY. When walking the beach, I like to count the washed up objects and take note of the different sizes, shapes, etc; cataloging the disparate plastic remnants of packaging mentally. I decided to meld those natural impulses and thoughts with an action and an object from my past that represented Labor Day weekends for myself. I decided to reengineer my family’s dusty old croquet set to better function for today’s environment as symbolic conduit and tool chest for a journey and pursuit to an end of this seemingly endless cycle.
The editor at the local newspaper was brilliant with their placement. The Wave 09/03/2021 “Happenings” section p.32
Claimed for the crown: The first target we stumbled on just before the sun broke the horizon: two half drunk bottles of water, laid to waste on the beach the night before. What water remained was released to return to a free life.
Distant Replay- first swing “Walkaway Croquet” 2021
The first participants in Walkaway Croquet: I had no idea kids even got up this early, they had way more energy than me at 6 a.m. After a brief explanation of some loose set of rules that amounted to no plastic left behind. They were born croquet naturals and made quick work of the first section of beach, putting me to shame. Afterwards they wanted to do a Tik Tok: here it is. I left feeling some sense of satisfaction, no one got hurt and we formed some new exchange of good will to each other and our surroundings. I was struck with some sense of satisfaction that knowing the rest of the day we may get heckled by everyone else, and it will all have been worth it for this exchange. They signed my helmet and at once a dream team became a reality.
Prizes from a successful set of shots.
This guy was out flying his drones and we chatted him up for a bit. He was into our cause he said and tried to assist us with some footage us doing our thing ala ESPN or some major channel. However due to some technical difficulties we only got an aerial display of his skills and a signature on my helmet.
Efforts begin to pay dividends: While I was planning the project I imagined myself as a great scarab beetle following the suns path, gathering all the bits to be buried and consumed later. I envisioned some massive immovable ball that would be created at the end, its size defying its burial and instead just clinging to my back in search of its place.
This dad wanted know what the getup was all about and after a brief explanatio, he asked me for some birthday balloons for his boy. We made him promise to dispose of them properly and he gave us his signature. Happy Birthday little dude!
Put Put: The pace of our croquet game increased after clouds set in. Most beach-goers began to pack up and head home, scrambling my plans to interact with large crowds, however paradoxically making locating the targets and navigating the course much easier. The challenges changed but the goal was always the target and this resides at the beach rain or shine.
The sand trap that I narrowly escaped: Many large piles of sand, staged by heavy machinery to replenish the vanishing dunes, obstructed the natural course of croquet. How this colorful bag of plastic bits ultimately has contributed to such measures and some meager attempt to construct sand castles as a means to not peak a boe rising tide that is fast approaching. How does one find agency in an endless sand trap?
While walking the 12 mile course there were sections of beach closed for construction of groins and storm surge protection. The Rockaways boardwalk was completely destroyed in Hurricane Sandy(2013) and the newly rebuilt one has been under threat since it was completed in 2015. Dunes have been replenished to protect the boardwalk and community, only to erode during storms and increasingly greater tidal shifts.. Unfortunately this heavy machinery is no match for an ocean, but perhaps both our efforts are more symbolic.
Caddy Jaq. My caddy, film crew, and sponsor, without whom, I would have never have had the opportunity to carry this out. All credit goes to Jacquline Pompei.
Rest was needed after nearly 12 hours of croquet. Back to the studio now to begin processing this material.