Two killed as artwork 'lifts off'

BBC News ^ | 7-23-06 | The Beeb

[Liberty Valance]

Two people have been killed and 13 injured after a giant, inflatable sculpture blew free from its moorings. Many were inside the artwork, which consists of connected rooms, when it lifted 30ft into the air at Riverside Park, Chester-le-Street, County Durham.

The Dreamspace sculpture is thought to have drifted for about 40m.

A 38-year-old woman from the town and a 68-year-old woman from Seaham died. A three-year-old girl was seriously injured and was flown to hospital.

[Liberty Valance]

[Liberty Valance]

[Liberty Valance]

[Richard Kimball]

Tragic, but not too surprising. Artists frequently have no background in engineering or construction, and ignore basic principles when constructing art.

[Liberty Valance]

I agree. Tragic.

[randog]

The Health and Safety executive has launched an investigation.

Closing the gate after the horse escaped.

You'd think they would have had to get the OK from some city/county office to pitch the thing, and those authorities would have had engineers scrutinize it's construction and safety....?

[Richard Kimball]

I know nothing about British inspection procedures, but here in the states, art is frequently overlooked because it doesn't easily fall into a specific category. In this case, it's not actually a building or a ride, so neither building inspectors or carnival ride inspectors would inspect it. The health department generally only inspects food servers. The fire department might, but their primary concerns would be the flammability of the structure. Fire inspectors certainly wouldn't have the background to determine if there were enough ground attachments to prevent lift off.

Finally, inspectors stay as far away from "artsy" types as possible. There's always at least one "patron of the arts" with a LOT of political clout, and artists are one of the most likely groups to run to the city council and claim oppression of their free expression.

[Jack2006]

I think they would have before. If I am not mistaken it has been all over the US too.

Even when the safety side is taken seriously, the equipment is safe and the people are professional, freak accidents still happen.

[Rick Deckard]

" Artists frequently have no background in engineering or construction, and ignore basic principles when constructing art."

I agree. I've constructed a number of art/sign pieces & public safety is my number one concern.

[Uriah_lost]

As tragic as this is, I just know someone out there is dying to put a punchline to this story.

[Richard Kimball]

[Dumpster Baby]

Is it Performance Art or is it Snuff Art?

[freedumb2003]

Lets face it, there are just some stupid ways to die.

Sometimes, the stupidity isn't on the part of the die-ee.

But it still is dang stupid.

This is one of those times.

[Liberty Valance]

"The sculpture - called Dreamspace - is thought to have drifted for up to 40m before catching on a CCTV camera post and coming down near a children's playground. About 500 people were in the vicinity of the sculpture, which is half the size of a football pitch, when it came loose."