Tunnel Vision was inaugurated on the weekend of October 21st & 22nd, during the 21st annual Fort Point Arts Community Open Studios. Thousands of spectators viewed 22 7' x 8' banners and a mural made of found balls hung on the walls of a Big Dig construction site. Through out the weekend visitors interacted with 6 Dig Buggies, the RISD Wheels of Wonder Bus and the Jamaica Plain Art Cars and marveled at the Big Head.

Big Head The Big Head was developed by TRM's Artistic Director, Jerry Beck with technical assistance from Bob Harmon, Tom Howell and Erica Von Schilgen. John Meyers and Stephen Davis supplemented the head with video imagery.

In July 2000 Boston high school students participating in "ArtStuff" at the Center for the Arts/Northeastern University worked with Beck to create images about art and its value in the community. These images were then patchworked to the head during a community workshop day. Later, these drawings were added to the tongue so that it could speak the students' thoughts.

The interior of the head was animated by the figure of an artist shadow-boxing with a house -- representing the fight artists are facing in the Fort Point, Boston. Tom Howell fabricated the interior. Additionally, two video monitor eyes played a short loop of interviews of youth and artists filmed by John Meyers and edited by Stephen Davis.

Future plans for the Big Head include further production of the brain of the head. Reminiscent of childhood fantasies and cartoon explainations, the brain will be a miniature kinetic world that spins and buzzes with activity. The creative mind of the Big Head will be represented by a small hole from which film is projected. The film will expand on the earlier video documentation and narrate the success of Tunnel Vision. Speakers within the mouth will make audible the Big Head's thoughts -- actual spoken words and songs from the public.