Author: Megan O'Keefe
Red Bull - the energy drink that is synonymous with vodka-laced partying and study-filled all-nighters - has never been a big hit with idlers. In fact, it is probably safe to say that those serious enough to guzzle multiple cans of the caffeine-loaded beverage are not looking to add to their workload.
But the more Red Bull you drink, the more time you have, right? At least that is the marketing strategy of Red Bull makers, who challenged fans of the drink to create original artworks out of their empty cans this winter.
Despite the gimmicky slogan -"What will a full can of Red Bull inspire you to create out of an empty one?"- at least one Middlebury student found inspiration somewhere between the bright yellow liquid and the surplus of empty cans.
Studio Art major Nicholas Colacchio '05 was among 31 finalists selected in the Red Bull Art of the Can Contest, which drew entries from 400 amateur and not-so-amateur artists around the world.
Ben Cooley '05 was also selected as a finalist for a piece entitled, "Exhausted Energy," but said he is unsure how Red Bull identified him as the artist because he did not create or submit the piece.
Colacchio's piece, a 14-foot pin-art-style sculpture of a face entitled "Insomnia," takes its name from his experience in making it. In his artist biography on the contest Web site, Colacchio said, "The majority of time assembling the piece was done the weekends before and after my final exams at school - at one point, I spent 63 consecutive hours working on the piece without sleep." In total, Colacchio estimates he spent more than 150 hours assembling his sculpture, but months longer conceptualizing and modeling the piece.
As it turns out, during days without sleep, his inspiration came strictly from the cans - not their contents. "I actually didn't drink any Red Bull as I worked on my piece," Colacchio noted. Instead, he fueled up on Gatorade, Protein bars and music - "anything from Van Morrison to Mariah Carey's Christmas CD, Ben Harper to Bob Marley, Mozart to Moby."
Colacchio rarely drinks Red Bull, but collected about 1,500 cans from recycling and redemption centers to create the piece after Dave Irwin '05, Middlebury College's Red Bull representative, told him about the contest.
Colacchio first conceived the idea for the piece several years ago "as something [he] wanted to make out of beer cans in response to [his] experience working with drunk patients as an emergency room technician." When he discovered the Red Bull contest, Colacchio realized he could adapt his early project to the new medium, noting, "I also just thought it would look sweet if I could pull it off."
Colacchio's work on the piece was labor intensive. "It definitely competed for time with my other classes, to say the least," he said, adding, "I can only imagine how I'd do in my other classes if I spent as much time preparing for a paper or oral exam."
Though Colacchio's piece was not near completion by the preliminary deadline, judges saw enough potential in the sculpture-in-progress to select him as a finalist, giving him the opportunity to come down to Boston and continue to work on the entry.
The 31 selected pieces will be on display for one week, beginning Feb. 26 at the Artists for Humanity EpiCenter in South Boston before a panel of judges selects the winning entry.
Colacchio will travel to Boston on Feb. 21 to complete work on his piece before the judging and will return for the public exhibition opening on Feb. 26.
A panel of judges including Bobby Hansson, author of The Fine Art of the Tin Can; metal artist Boris Bally; painter William Quigley and curatorial assistant for the Institute of Contemporary Art Emily Moore will determine the top three winners. Each entry will be evaluated based on three criteria including: creative concept, conceptual execution and overall construction of the piece. The first prize winner will be awarded a trip for two to the 51st International Arts Festival in Venice, Italy.
Go to redbullartofthecan.com to view and rate all of the entries, including Colacchio's.
Red Bull inspires Midd artist Nicholas Colacchio selected for his 1,500 can Red Bull artwork
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