Month: October 2021

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Cathenge at Patricia’s Green, Hayes Valley, San Francisco (Completed Project – Now Exhibiting)

Cathenge is now completed and on display at Patricia’s Green in Hayes Valley, San Francisco. The culmination of over a year’s continuous work by artist David Normal, and intensive collaboration and coordination with a talented team of builders and technicians has brought Cathenge to life. Below are some photos of the newly erected installation.

Below is an 3D visualization of the Cathenge Installation for Patricia’s Green. ADA (American Disabilities Act) regulations required that the tips of the star shaped pedestal upon which the cats are standing be truncated. Not only did this provide a more equitable and accessible experience, but it also improved the design.

Below are some of the plans and drawings used in proposing and designing Cathenge. Basically, these are the design strategies in place that have been refined by RBHU Engineering (Structural Engineers).

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Crazyology Inaugural Ball 2021

On June 20th David Normal opened the Institute of Crazyology at 1000 Van Ness. The “Crazyology Inaugural Ball” celebrated the installation of the Cathenge Burning Man installation, and was a reunion and respite from the restrictions of the pandemic for the SF BMan and Cacophony Society crowd.

The photo gallery below are photos taken by San Francisco society/art photographer, Herman Privette, who did a fabulous job of documenting that evening’s proceedings.

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Cathenge Prototype in David Normal Studio Spring 2019

This 3D printed Catolith prototype “Kittolith”. Printed by Christopher Christensen. This prototype features motion activated interactive purring by Theremin Barney. Ultimately, we settled on touch sensitivity through “Capacitive Sensing” as the mechanism of interactivity for the large Catoliths at Cathenge, Black Rock City 2019.

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Photos by Dennis Helladanko and Damon Bivianos

Los Angeles photographers, Dennis Helladanko and Damon Bivianos, documented Cathenge with these stunning photos.

Cat Priestess Saya dances at Cathenge!

Installation creator David Normal at Cathenge.

David Normal with Cat Priestesses at Catolith Fortuna with a cocked head.

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Catolith and Burn Brazier

A lone Catolith with Burn Brazier in the foreground. The Burn Braziers were created by flame effects artist, Brad Allen, using WWII era propane tanks that are spherical. Brad cut these tanks in half to create monumental hemispherical braziers that provided an “eternal flame” type effect that greatly enhanced the sacrosanct atmosphere of the Cathenge Cat Temple at Burning Man 2019. The thickly dusty atmosphere shows clearly the beams of light shooting forth from the eyes of the Catolith – an important part of the Cathenge concept; emulating the cats shooting lasers from their eyes internet meme.

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Cathenge by Night! – Burning Man 2019

A view of Cathenge at night with all the Catoliths aglow, their Cat Chakras expressing the power of Holofelinity. In the center can be seen Brad Allen’s three Burn Braziers inviting people to gather around their elegant light and their nurturing warmth.

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Cathenge the Cat Temple at Burning Man 2019

Cathenge at Black Rock City silhouetted in the setting sun upon the playa of the Black Rock Desert. The Catoliths stand in a 100′ diameter circle around the central platform where the three mighty propane burn braziers built by Brad Allen are mounted. A scaffold for shibari (Japanese Rope Bondage) was erected by Los Angeles rope artist, Argent Lloyd. Photo by Gurps Chawla.