“We want to create a visual bath, something you can explore and get lost in,” said UF School of Art + Art History alumnus Adam Frezza (MFA Drawing and Painting ‘07) of the immersive ecosystems that he makes with his partner Terri Chiao as part of the Brooklyn-based duo Chiaozza.
For the past two weekends, tens of thousands of music and art enthusiasts flocking to the small desert oasis of Indio, California, experienced Chiaozza’s “wobbly” islands and imaginary plants at the 2017 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.
“Chiaozza Garden” is an entire acre of tall, bulbous, colorful structures with whimsical names like Giros, Dollop Sprouts, Twin Lumps and Exquisite Plants. Each stands out even in the vastness of the festival grounds.
Evolving from a sketch in their studio to 8-ton sculptures made from plywood, lathe, stucco and cement in the center of Coachella, Frezza and Chiao had a hand in every stage of the production process.
“It’s the largest project we’ve ever done,” said Frezza. “It’s so fun to see people engage with the work,” which includes dancing with some of the pieces’ rubber tassels and resting in the late afternoon shade the structures provide.
“Over time, we want this work to continuously befuddle and offer a curious sense of imagination.”
To see more of Adam Frezza and Terri Chiao’s work, visit their website at www.eternitystew.com.
