Color Wheelz is a mobile art installation that travels through the five boroughs of NYC in a painted Ford van. Visitors can customize the inside and outside of the van with colorful shapes, lights, and other materials to represent their neighborhood. As the van moves to different locations, it shows representations of where it has been. The project aims to explore how people use color in different NYC communities and track outcomes to contribute to the field of color theory research.

3. The Pitch
Color Wheelz is designed to transform a 1997 Ford van into a traveling,
participatory installation. This van travels through the five boroughs of NYC filled
with playful activities, which facilitate exploration into the world of color.

4. The Story
Color wheelz tells a story about different people from
different places using color to describe the world they
live in.

5. 1. Idea/Purpose-Content: Colorful commentary on NYC
2. Form-Manifestation (technology, book, sculpture, film?): Mobile installation
3. Idiom-Context, style, genre: Experimental, participatory
4. Structure-Composition, what to include, NOT include: Switchboard, slide projector
5. Craft- practical implementation: cutting, sewing, painting, printing, driving
6. Surface-finishing: Kit, posters, Maps, website

14. decals
velcro
cardboard
vinyl
fabric
magnets
styrofoam
cling paper
lights
batteries
electrical tape
duck tape
straws
slide projector

15. Color Wheelz: A Mobile Laboratory for Color Exploration
Julia R.Vallera
juliarvallera@gmail.com
Once a year the circus comes to town. It unfolds into a magical display of light and color. The quiet, motionless land
instantly transforms into a vibrant playground filled with curious people. Excitement spills into the air spontaneously
as visual imprints form life memories for all ages. Humans have a rich history in traveling entrepreneurship. Gypsies,
circus acts, magicians and inventors are a few examples of people that have historical roots in nomadic livelihoods.
In New York City (NYC), an increasing number of commercial, political, artistic and educational enterprises are
outreaching to communities through mobile venues. Carts, trucks and vans selling goods can be found on almost
every street corner. The purpose and size of a mobile venue vary depending on what its intention is. In every case,
there is a primary objective to reach a larger, more diverse group of people. These examples serve as inspiration for
the development of this color laboratory on wheels with accompanying website http://coloriumlaboratorium.com/
Color Wheelz is designed to transform a 1997 Ford van into a traveling, participatory installation. This van travels
through the five boroughs of NYC filled with playful activities, which facilitate exploration into the world of color. Color
Wheelz will begin its first tour with a day long journey from Prospect Park, Brooklyn to Central Park, Manhattan.
Along the way, it will stop in various NYC neighborhoods, including Crown Heights, Williamsburg, Chinatown,
Chelsea, Midtown, Upper East Side, Harlem and Upper West Side.
Visitors to the van customize the inside and outside of it using colorful shapes, light, magnets, projections, textiles
and paper. They create colorful patterns and designs that represent their current environment. Once the van is
customized, it travels to a different location. Visitors in this location see it as a representation of where it came from.
Changing the appearance of the van is a fun way for participants to contribute their personal interpretation. Color
Wheelz combines mobility, color theory and hands-on activities to create a unique experience that results in a mobile,
color theory research lab.
Interaction with Color Wheelz occurs inside and outside of the van. Up to 4 participants can be inside and up to 10
participants can be outside anytime. Visitors have the ability to influence the appearance of the van before it moves
to a new location. This is a unique opportunity for people to represent their communities in a visual way. Each
participant manipulates an array of color related items. These items may include glowing neon wire, cling paper,
velcro shapes, magnets and projections. They turn on neon wire, cut shapes out of cling paper and apply velcro to
the seats and walls. Colorful images can also be projected onto the interior.
These manipulations result in a colorful commentary. Results are documented through photographs, video,
interviews and voice recordings. The event is publicized and published on the official website http://
coloriumlaboratorium.com/ A map is updated on the website and on a twitter account so that people can find the
location of Color Wheelz at any point during the day.
Color Wheelz creates a fun and engaging way for visitors to explore the colors in their world. Perhaps this
exploration will encourage additional insight related to color, culture, communication and perception. Tracking the
outcomes in each location is an ongoing effort and will result in a valuable collection of research data contributing to
the field of color theory. During this phase of production, I look forward to learning how various populations within the
five boroughs of NYC respond.
Copyright © 2010 ColoriumLaboratorium - All Rights Reserved

16. What are you trying to
achieve?
Fun, traveling, participatory installation
What problem do you want to solve?
I want to find out differences and similarities of color
in various neighborhoods.
What do you want to discover?
I want to discover how people use color in the
communities of NY. Do the colors of reflect the
population?
Were there any suprises?
THere will be.

17. Who are you doing your thesis with/for?
the public
educators
mobile installations

18. What are the career
and exhibition prospects you'll be able to achieve?
further project through grants/fellowship
ongoing research on color
teaching
document results and publish