Big red ball art installation, the one you probably just saw on social media, headed to Chapel Hill Thursday
Attention Triangle: Get ready for your social media feeds to explode with pictures of a giant red ball in Chapel Hill.
The RedBall Project, a traveling public art work by Asheville-based artist Kurt Perschke, will begin its week-long journey around Chapel Hill starting Thursday.
Considered “the world’s longest-running street art work,” according to a news release, the piece features a 250-pound, 15-foot-diameter inflatable red ball that is installed in different sections within a city. It's already traveled to more than 25 cities around the world, including Abu Dhabi, Taipei, Perth, London, Barcelona, St. Louis, Portland, Sydney, Scottsdale, Chicago, and Toronto.
And, yes, this is the same art project involving a giant red ball that may have recently popped up on your social media feed. Way back in 2015, during a stop in Toledo, the ball accidentally broke free and rolled around the city for a bit, sparking plenty of coverage. That incident, for whatever reason, made its way back into the headlines when an art director shared a quick clip of the ball on the loose on social media this month, according to the New York Times.
RedBall arrives in Chapel Hill this week to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Ackland Art Museum, which is bringing the internationally renowned sculptural installation to the town. From Thursday to Wednesday, Sept., 26, the ball will move through Chapel Hill, changing its location daily and "playfully inviting all audiences to reconsider their everyday surroundings with a fresh perspective," the release says.
Here's a look at where it's traveled already:
And here's where you'll be able to find it in Chapel Hill. The ball will be installed each day by 11 a.m. and de-installed at 6 p.m. Installation takes about an hour.
Thursday, Sept. 20: South Building, UNC Campus.
Friday, Sept. 21: Robert B. House Undergraduate Library, UNC Campus
Saturday, Sept. 22: Hanes Arch next to Ackland Art Museum, UNC Campus
Sunday, Sept. 23: Varsity Alley, alongside 121 East Franklin St.
Monday, Sept. 24: Koury Residence Hall, UNC Campus and 480 Ehringhaus Drive
Tuesday, Sept. 25: Chapel Hill Public Library, 100 Library Drive. A RedBall artist talk is scheduled for 4 p.m., Sept. 25, at the library.
Wednesday, Sept. 26: Forest Theatre, UNC Campus and 123 South Boundary St.
If you see the ball, you're encouraged to share your adventures on social media using the #redballproject hashtag.
