Buku was born in the dirty docks of the Mississippi and resides in its forgotten industry. Art emerges of its own accord, reusing its context. Buku is no Art Gallery, it is an Art Project, its landscape in a constant state of change. Through innovation and adaptation the site has been revived, an evolving mutation of New Orleans' muddied past.

Bukove

Designed by DIRsign in collaboration with our constant gardener Art Ostrowski, this relaxation zone provided seating and viewing for vendor's patrons. Using recycled 55 gallon drums as an infrastructure, 5 family size hammocks were hung in between a matrix of benches. Plants provided by Banting's Nursery added shading and tranquility for festival goers to relax under throughout the day. Constructed with the help of Chris Wells and other Tulane Architecture students, hammocks were under constant use throughout the weekend.

Grass to Grid

Designed by Sheena Garcia and Nate Petty of NPSAG grass-to-grid is an installation project informed by the industrial landscape of the event site at the edge of the Mississippi River. The project is a speculation on the industrialization of the water’s edge and its reinvention through this emerging electronic music scene. The project is a way-finding beacon at the event’s main entrance. The plan of the project reinforces this idea through the creation of a directional arrow that facilitates flow from the entry and into the VIP areas and main event spaces. The triangulated surface of the piece is a field of peaks that is varied from all angles of view, intending to create an artificial landscape which allows visitors to view through it and to stand within it. (Read more on suckerPUNCH)

2012 NOLA Graffiti Showcase + Auction

Curated by DPA Universe, this auction provided 10 full scale canvas's and paint for New Orlean's best Graffiti writers. All ten pieces were auctioned at the end of the festival and taken home by some of the most enthusiastic patron's. Writers from across the south have agreed that this was the beginning of an important tradition in street culture and New Orleans culture.

BUKU Entrance

Designed by DIRsign in collaboration with DPA Universe the entrance to the festival was constructed out of 85% recycled and donated materials from local scrap and salvage yards. The majority of the materials used were re-used from blighted homes that were cataloged at The Green Project and then used at the festival. The conglomeration of materials set the tone for the festival and the same artists featured in our Graffiti Showcase enthusiastically wrote a BUKU 2012 Mural across them. This adaptive re-use of recycled objects and materials is coherent with the industrial landscape of BUKU and has become a symbol for a stance towards sustainability and education that we wish to continue.

PiNKometry

Tensile shapes provided by PiNK graced a number of locations throughout the festival. These "PiNKometries" provided ample backdrops for photos as well as ambient lighting and decoration both inside and out. (Check out their write up on Buku 2012!)

The Fighting Fish Tank

A burning man art car "the Fighting Fish Tank" stopped by on its journey across America, offering guests a relaxing spot from which to view the river and the stage. The car was equipped with RGB lighting, plush couches, and a giant Pneumatic Punching Fist!

Laser Graffiti

Skylar Fein, a friend and Nationally renowned Artist, offered to create a rig using the Graffiti Research Lab's open source program. With help from his crew he was able to video map the tallest wall on site to be used in conjunction with a laser pointer fitted into a spray paint can. Tracking the pointer with a camera patron's were able to digitally tag the wall complete with animated drips and color changes.