The Herd: Luminous Beings Seeking Safe Harbor will be floating into Baltimore for the Third Annual Light City Festival in Baltimore, Maryland April 13 – 21. It will be on view in the Baltimore Harbor between Piers 5 and 6.
The Herd is a tribute to all the citizens of Baltimore City who continue to hope for a healthy city and healthy waterways. The Herd is a cluster of 375 luminous solar powered inflatable swim rings (designed by the artist)—similar in appearance to the floats used by swimmers at the seaside—laced together in a net to form a glowing multitude of creatures calmly bobbing in the shimmering ripples of the nighttime harbor.
Your own Herdling.
The Herd inflatables will be for sale during the Light City 2018 Festival. All proceeds, after taxes and shipping will be donated to three non-profit partners: Waterfront Partnership's Healthy Harbor Initiative, the Baltimore-based performance group Fluid Movement, and the Living Classrooms Foundation. This ensures that the art piece will have a life of its own after the festival, and that the materials used in fabrication will be put to a good (and fun) re-use.
Waterfront Partnership states that its overall goal is to have a swimmable and fishable harbor by 2020. Boston, Los Angeles, Paris and other cities overcame sewer infrastructure problems – similar to those faced by Baltimore – by making large improvements in the health of their waterways. The Inner Harbor Water Wheel, casually known as “Mr. Trash Wheel” (and later a second wheel, “Professor Trash Wheel”) and created here in Baltimore, has set an example that is inspiring other cities to try this innovative solution to keep their home waters clean.