CINCINNATI — BLINK 2022 officially kicked off Thursday night, but there are still three more nights of fun and beautiful art installations around downtown Cincinnati, Over-the-Rhine and Covington. If you're headed out to the festival and overwhelmed by the 101 art installations scattered throughout more than 30 city blocks, we've got your back.
Here are the top nine BLINK installations you should check out this weekend:
Euthenia
Stretching across a long building at the corner of Race and Liberty streets, Euthenia shows a mural lit up by projections and art. Designed by Insane 51 out of Greece, the mural depicts Euthenia, the ancient Greek spirit of prosperity. As the lights project onto her, different layers and features are exposed.
Toroid
Located along Freedom Way at The Banks, Toroid is a physical framework that lights up as "light itself depicts the human construct of time and the linear slices of Toroid emphasize the human prerequisite for time to be tangibly segmented." The installation is designed by This Is Loop, a collaborative artistic partnership by Harriet Lumby and Alan Hayes of the United Kingdom.
Mr. Dynamite
OTR's James Brown mural is already an iconic mainstay in Cincinnati, and artist Kyle Eli Ebersole is emphasizing that greatness even more with Mr. Dynamite. The art projection sends viewers on Brown's musical journey and highlights his career with Cincinnati-based Kings Record, with whom Brown produced many of his earlier hits.
Timisien
Arguably the most immersive installation of Blink 2022, Timisien by Architects of Air is an inflatable luminarium at Ziegler Park. The installation does have an entry fee — $15 for adults, $10 for children 2 to 10. You can purchase tickets ahead of time to bypass any lines for the exhibit as well. For those that enter the luminarium, you're encouraged to wander freely or simply lay back and enjoy the ambiance of the structure. Another heads up for those interested, you do take your shoes off for this installation, so you're advised to wear socks.
In The Middle — Memorial Hall
Designed by Antaless Visual Design, an artistic "evolution" of Italy's Alessio Cassaro, In the Middle sees the "logical and surreal meat and 'collide' continuously, showing us that one or more dimensions can exist and coexist." The installation is also very close to Washington Park, which has food, drinks and music to enjoy during BLINK. There are also multiple other installations in that vicinity to enjoy.
Eyes Up Drone Show
Lighting up the sky two times per night (8 p.m. and 10 p.m.), the Eyes Up Drone Show is displayed over the Ohio River between The Banks and Covington's installations. The show features more than 300 drones forming different images in the sky — you can even catch the WCPO logo in the air on Saturday. You can watch the show on either the Covington or Cincinnati side of the river as well.
String Theory For Dummies
Another immersive installation, String Theory For Dummies, allows attendees to play with yarn strung across a structure. The yarn is then lit up into multiple neon colors. The installation — which is designed by Daniel Shields, Jamebo Corsini and Daniel Hiudt — aims to showcase accessible art and art that doesn't have a barrier between it and people. Attendees are encouraged to grab balls of yarn to "develop your string theory" and have an installation created by everyone.
String Theory for Dummies
In The Middle — Mother of God Church
Same name, different look and location. Antaless Visual Design also designed In The Middle at the Mother of God Roman Catholic Church in Covington. The installation uses lights, shadows the multiplication of objects and more to illuminate the building. Similar to his Memorial Hall design, "the goal is to demonstrate how the artist can be completely at the service of architecture," but the new architecture gives his art a new vibe. Don't skip this one just because you saw his work in OTR.
Toy Heritage Mural
If you feel like paying homage to your inner child, the Toy Heritage Mural on West Court Street in Cincinnati is for you. Designed by Graffmapping, who hails from Spain, the installation illuminates Jonathan Queen's existing mural. You can see favorites such as Yoda, Mr. Potato Head, a Care Bear and more on the wall. The installation is also located near BLINK's Asianati Night Market, where you can find special drink and food options.
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