We love Summerfest for its music, its food, and its bleachers, but we also love it for its random “experiences.” Last year, one of those experiences was [checks notes] a decades-spanning Fritos diner where you could eat tiny samples of Fritos stuff for some reason. And this year, yep, it’s a “cosmic cornfield” called “Yield.” (Not to be confused with the late, great East Side bar, we presume.)
The “immersive light and sound experience” is the creation of Milwaukee’s FuzzPop Workshop. Described as a “glowing maze of light, sound, and sculpture,” the 36-foot-wide and 12-foot-high LED cornfield “draws on childhood memories of getting lost in fields of corn and turns that familiar memory into an otherworldly experience.” It may or may not include creepy kids named Isaac and Malachai, as well as a makeshift altar to “He Who Walks Behind the Rows.”
“We’re honored to have the opportunity to create a homegrown immersive art experience here in Milwaukee and to be a part of a cultural icon like Summerfest,” says Daniel Murray, Founder and Creative Director of FuzzPop Workshop, in a press release. “Together with our incredible team of local artists, we’re excited to share this wild and weird experience with the community.”
“Yield” will be located near the South Gate throughout Summerfest 2024’s entire run (June 20-22, June 27-29, July 4-6). And yes, we’re absolutely going to check this thing out. Here’s a full press release:
MILWAUKEE, WI (May 30, 2024) – Summerfest presented by American Family Insurance will debut a new immersive light and sound experience during Summerfest’s three weekends – June 20-22, June 27-29, and July 4-6, 2024. The experience, titled “Yield” is a cosmic cornfield that will immerse visitors in a glowing maze of light, sound, and sculpture. Yield draws on childhood memories of getting lost in fields of corn and turns that familiar memory into an otherworldly experience.
Developed by FuzzPop Workshop with support from Milwaukee World Festival, Inc., Herzfeld Foundation, Astor Street Foundation, Heil Family Foundation, and Wilson Family Foundation, Yield explores a larger story of ecological change and technological advancement, while providing Summerfest attendees with a stunning visual event unlike anything ever experienced at the festival.
The exhibit will be located near the South Gate of Henry Maier Festival Park and is accessible with festival admission.
“We are thrilled to work with FuzzPop Workshop to debut Yield during Summerfest, and support and highlight the work being done by these talented Milwaukee-based artists,” said Sarah Pancheri, President and CEO of Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. “A special thank you to Herzfeld Foundation, Astor Street Foundation, Heil Family Foundation, and the Wilson Family Foundation for sharing our vision to bring more immersive art to the festival, while supporting the local creative economy.”
The Yield immersive light and sound experience, by the numbers:
• 36’diameter
• 12’ tall
• 192 stalks of corn
• 2,112 leaves
• 6,336 rivets
• 75,000 LED pixels
• Over 15,000 ft of cable
The large-scale artwork also combines tens of thousands of individually addressable LEDs with a multi-channel sound system, moving light and sound through the space, creating a dreamlike, immersive experience.
“We’re honored to have the opportunity to create a homegrown immersive art experience here in Milwaukee and to be a part of a cultural icon like Summerfest,” said Daniel Murray, Founder and Creative Director of FuzzPop Workshop. “Together with our incredible team of local artists, we’re excited to share this wild and weird experience with the community.”
The FuzzPop Workshop Project Team includes:
• Creative Director and Lighting Design – Daniel Murray
• Design and Fabrication – Matt Connell and John Kowalczyk
• Sound Design – Brian Nielson
• Fabrication – Drew York, Joe Lino, Sara Bott, Jasper Huber, Amanda Evans, Anja Sieger
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