Canal Convergence Announces Artwork Lineup, Return Of One Water Brewing Showcase

Canal Convergence | Water + Art + Light announces 11 large-scale artworks and the return of the One Water Brewing Showcase at the free, 10-night event Nov. 4­13 at the Scottsdale Waterfront.

Artworks from three foreign countries and three U.S. states will join two local artworks as the event celebrates its 10th anniversary theme: "10 Years of Water + Art + Light."

"For Canal Convergence's 10th anniversary event, we wanted to celebrate all the elements that have gone into making it the successful and beloved event is it today," said Jennifer Gill, assistant director for Canal Convergence. "One of the key ways we have accomplished this is by not only inviting new artists to create light-based artworks through our open call, but also reaching out to past Canal Convergence artists to show new artworks for this years event."

This year's lineup includes returning artists from throughout the event's history, like Scottsdale-based artist Jeff Zischke, who was among those presenting artworks at the inaugural Canal Convergence in 2012. His 2022 artwork, "SunDrops," was previously announced. It is a seris of five sculptures suspended above the Arizona Canal that will create animated light shows referencing desert sunrises and sunsets.

Also returning is Scottsdale's own Walter Productions, which has been a yearly presenter at Canal Convergence since 2018, most often with choregraphed fire shows that draw massive crowds. This year, Walter Productions' "ORB" will ignite over the canal, shooting flames 30 feet into the air. Between performances, viewers can control a series of LED panels on the floating installation.

The Los Angeles-based HYBYCOZO, which last appeared at Canal Convergence in 2017, is returning this year with "Trillian + InSpires." Influenced by natural forms, ancient Islamic tiles, mathematics and geometry, the artworks cast colorful light and intricate shadows on the surrounding environment.

"We are excited to come back to Canal Convergence for so many reasons," said Yelena Filipchuk, a Ukrainian-born member of HYBYCOZO. "We love the focus on educational activities and workshops for the public. Interacting with artists reminds people that their made environment is malleable, that the world is truly made in the mind's eye of every person. With that intention, we can all go forth and create a more just, equitable and creative society."

An artist studio that more recently appeared at Canal Convergence is the Philadelphia-based Immerge Interactive, which showed "Fences" in the 2020 event. This year's artwork is "Reflections," an interactive lighting installation that hovers over the surface of the Arizona Canal, captures the movement of viewers on the canal banks and creates generative patterns in real time, sampling past Canal Convergence artworks and color palettes from the surrounding geography.

While most of the returning artists are bringing new artworks, there will be a few pieces that have previously appeared at Canal Convergence, including "Los Trompos" by Mexico City's Hector Esrawe and Ignacio Cadena. "Los Trompos" are colorful, rotating, top-like artworks made from fabric that is woven in a traditional Mexican style. They were aquired by the city of Scottsdale after premiering at Canal Convergence in 2017 and have been shown intermittendly since.

The other returning artwork is the popular installation "The DOOR(S)" by B!G ART, an artist studio from Calgary, Canada. "The DOOR(S)" only debuted at Canal Convergence last year, but their 2022 appearance will have a twist. In addition to opening portals to a wide range of "alternate realities," they will also act as a gateway to past Canal Convergence events and to a real-time livestream at Scottsdale Fashion Square, allowing visitors at both locations to virtually interact.

In addition to "The DOOR(S)," B!G ART will bring two other artworks to Canal Convergence. "The STARQUARIUM" is a one-of-a-kind, intergalactic aquarium, connected to a gateway through space and time, delivering flora, fauna and other mysteries from faraway worlds while "The TUNNEL" is a one-way trip through a passage of magical light, where viewers become pilots through an interactive device.

New artists making their Canal Convergence debut with a variety of interactive works include AlexP of Uithoorn, The Netherlands; Angela Fraleigh and Josh Miller of Allentown, Pennsylvania; and Pneuhaus and Bike Powered Events of Rumford, Rhode Island.

"Canopy," by Pneuhaus and Bike Powered Events, is a grove of six, illuminated, tree-like sculptures that continuously transform in shape and color as participants power them through bike-driven generators. At AlexP's "MAPP," participants will step into the light and become part of the artwork as they appear among the colorful images and patterns. And with Fraleigh and Miller's "Sound the Deep Waters," participants submit secret messages and see them interpreted as bold, brilliant, larger-than-life flower compositions on the installation's screen.

Most of the programming for Canal Convergence 2022 will be announced at a later time, but plans are underway for the return of the One Water Brewing Showcase. Presented in conjunction with Scottsdale Water on Nov. 4 and 5 only - the first weekend of Canal Convergence - the showcase is part of Canal Convergence's sustainability efforts and its goal to become a zero-waste event.

Like the One Water Brewing Showcase's 2019 debut, the drought-friendly beer festival will feature only craft beers brewed with ultra-purified, recycled water from Scottsdale's Advanced Water Treatment Plant. In 2019, Scottsdale Water became the first water agency in Arizona permitted to treat recycled water for potable use.

The showcase will feature beers by different breweries each night. Participating breweries include Arizona Wilderness Brewing Company, Desert Monks Brewing Co, Fate Brewing Company, Four Peaks Brewing Company, Goldwater Brewing Co., North Mountain Brewing Company, O.H.S.O. Brewery + Distillery, Uncle Bear's Brewery and Walter Station Brewery.

In the coming months, additional information about Canal Convergence artworks, performances, workshops and other aspects of the event will be added to the event website at CanalConvergence.com.

Canal Convergence is made possible with annual support from the City of Scottsdale. Additional support is provided by Billie Jo Herberger, SRP, Nationwide, Scottsdale Fashion Square, Christine and Richard Kovach, Magnum Companies, Hannon Rigging & Production, Hoverlay, SOAR Foundation, Sirius Structures, Walter Station Brewery, McDowell Sonoran Conservancy, FirstBank, Cosanti Foundation and Dollar Radio Rentals.

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