Thirst’s John Pobojewski directed the studio in the installation We The People, a world-premiere commission for 150 Media Stream — the largest multimedia art installation in Chicago. Located at 150 North Riverside, this unique video sculpture features 89 individual LED blades at 150 feet long and over 20 feet high. Thirst joins several announced artists to premiere work for the video sculpture: Jason Salavon, Kurt Kaminski, Megan Pryce/Zhang Zige, Geoffrey Alan Rhodes, and Leviathan.
We The People is a suite of five scenes, expressing oneness, diversity, and community. Words from the U.S. Constitution are used throughout the piece, as well as 150 first names of those born in America within the last decade.
In 1787 the U.S. Constitution was signed by a fractured group of misfits and outcasts — delegates — each an immigrant in a new land. These individuals set the course towards a unified nation dedicated to the pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness. Their work inspired Thirst’s suite of ambient scenes, each animated expressions of the diverse melting pot that is America. Together, we shall overcome. Divided, we will fall.” — John Pobojewski, Thirst
Press Coverage
Time Out Chicago
Archpaper
Chicagoist
UrbanMatter
150 Media Stream
commissioned and curated by
Riverside Investment & Development
display concept and physical structure by
McCann Systems in cooperation with Digital Kitchen
creative content partnership with
Leviathan
150 N Riverside Plaza lobby and building design by
Goettsch Partners
Art by Thirst
Concept/Direction/Music John Pobojewski
Animation Kyle Green
3D Animation Zach Minnich
Type Design Taek Hyun Kim and Rick Valicenti
Thirst designer, Taek Hyun Kim, created a custom alphabet of modular pieces on a square grid.
The flickering, hyper-saturated signage in Times Square became a visual palette for most of the piece — as an obvious reference to the technology behind 150 Media Stream. How could it be deconstructed and celebrated as a metaphor for American democracy?
The work of historic photographer Eadweard Muybridge and modern Chicago artist Nick Cave inspired new ways of thinking of diversity — in both form and motion.
The real human presence behind the signature is evident in both the words of our founding fathers and on the city streets. Thirst was inspired to imagine new forms based around this visual language.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel takes it all in on Opening Night. Architect James Goettsch and Developer John O’Donnell also present.
John Pobojewski
Rick Valicenti
Kyle Green
Zach Minnich
Taek Hyun Kim