May 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JAY CRITCHLEY CREATES A ROADSIDE ATTRACTION:
THE BEIGE MOTEL - THE WORLD’S LARGEST SAND-ENCRUSTED MOTEL;
ENCRUSTING AN ICONIC 1950S MOTEL WITH SAND BEFORE ITS FALL DEMOLITION;
artSTRAND ARTISTS’ INSTALLATIONS INSIDE;
OPENS JUNE 23 5:00 TO 8:00 PM AT PILGRIM SPRING MOTEL,
Rte 6, NORTH TRURO, MA USA.
Unsuspecting motorists traveling on Cape Cod’s Route 6 towards Provincetown will be greeted by “The World’s Largest Sand-encrusted Motel”- The Beige Motel - amidst the sandy beaches and sand dunes of North Truro, its sand-covered surfaces reflecting the unique light of the Cape tip. The peculiar vernacular architecture of the Pilgrim Spring Motel, both kitschy and surreal, will become a monumental “embalmed” sculpture that reflects on time, loss and decay, the environment and our perception of the universe. The Beige Motel opens to the public on June 23 from 5:00-8:00pm, and will be visible throughout the summer until its demolition in the fall.
The site is being redeveloped into Truro Tradesmen’s Park for businesses and art and craft studios by Joel Searcy and others. Beige Motel is a joint project of Jay Critchley and artSTRAND, a Provincetown gallery. Travelers are invited to stop for a rest and explore the interior installations by artists Bob Bailey & Bert Yarborough, Jim Peters & Vicky Tomayko, Maryalice Johnston & Eric Peters, Frank Vasello & others. A limited edition, sand-painted print of twenty is available by Critchley for sale. For more project information contact www.jaycritchley.com or www.artstrand.com, 508 487-1153.
The post-World War II economy brought the dominance and affordability of the automobile to middle class Americans, who traveled in greater numbers to Cape Cod for vacations, including a stay at the Pilgrim Spring Motel. This iconic “roadside attraction” - named after the nearby fresh water spring used by the Pilgrims in 1620 - is a spare, one story motor court with its distinctive A-frame structure with “wings”, an historic relic to the American Dream. The entire complex of 44 bedrooms and three buildings will be demolished to make way for facilities for small businesses and art and craft studios. The main A-frame office building close to Route 6 will be transformed into the Beige Motel, and illuminated at night.
The surprisingly boring, dreary color beige might symbolize our disappointment with the loss of an iconic building - or with the unexpected dull color of the universe. Yet, our connection with the mysteries of time, space, light and color will radiate from this transformed, sand covered structure as the famous Cape tip light imbues it with reverent hues. Beige Motel will connect our earthly nature with other-earthly possibilities, frozen for a moment in time.
The recent discovery by scientists and astronomers that the universe is a lackluster beige color - the dominant color of dune sand - is ironic and surprising, symbolizing our inability to grasp the unyielding mysteries of nature. In 2002 astronomers Karl Glazebrook and Ivan Baldry of Johns Hopkins University set off a cosmic firestorm when their research determined the color of the Universe. By taking a census of all the light from 200,000 galaxies, the 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey created the Cosmic Spectrum. To everyone’s astonishment it was determined that the color was “cosmic latte” or beige.
This research has rekindled Critchley’s interest in sand as an artistic medium, which began with the Sand Car series in MacMillan Wharf Parking Lot in Provincetown from 1981-1984.
High resolution photos, and more details, available on request.
Contact: Jay Critchley
508 487-3684
reroot@comcast.net
