The best part about kites is the fact that, once the initial investment has been made, the enjoyment of the kite is free pretty much forever. As long as your string is in working order and there's a bit of grass to run across and some wind, your colorful cloth triangle has a very good chance of working and delighting all who see it.
That fact, that flying a kite is anybody's game, adds a lot of charm to festivals that celebrate those colorful high flyers. But when there are kite celebrities in the festival's midst, that is also rather exciting, especially when those artists are people famous for designing some truly spectacular fliers.
Call them flyable artworks, even.
Tom Van Sant is one such name, and he will again set his major kites aloft at the Otis Kite Festival on Sunday, April 14. Known for his impressively large kites, Mr. Van Sant will be joined at Santa Monica Pier by several talented kite artists, including Melanie Walker and George Peters.
But just because big names are unfurling some string doesn't mean you can't fly your kite. You are most welcome, and invited, to the free tradition.
A free tradition, we should add, that features many teachers, students, and alums from the art school. So plan on seeing some outlandish and geometric and hue-happy squares in the air.
This is all happening north of the pier, but we have a feeling you'll only need to look up to determine just where the kite enthusiasts are standing.
The Scene
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Here's a peek at Mr. Van Sant's epic, flyable artworks:
Tom Van Sant :: Flight Forms from STUDIO for Creative Inquiry on Vimeo.
