PARTY STORE: an immersive floral intervention in port austin, michigan in july 2021.

for three days over july 16, 17, and 18, folks were invited to explore a former PARTY STORE overtaken by michigan-grown fresh cut flowers and artificial flowers purchased used from michigan resale stores. the experience was a visual cacophony, every surface enveloped--shelves covered, coolers stuffed, counters coated with a floral veneer. this public art installation offered a multi-sensory reset through the beauty and abundance of flowers, as well as nudging visitors to consider the disposable culture of travel and tourism.

while the flowers in PARTY STORE were composted and all materials reused and recycled, most items purchased in a convenience store are packaged in single-use plastics. what can be considered as we move toward redesigning our lives after quarantine?

FAQS
was this like 2015’s flower house?
yup! except it was a party store, not a house. and as far as the density of flowers in the installation, think of a honeycomb, but the bees are flowers. or, a lot like blown-in insulation, with flowers everywhere.

when lisa was in port austin in may for site visits and getting to know folks in the area, she produced floral interventions that lead her to the idea of PARTY STORE. the installation in july was of a similar aesthetic and vibe.

what inspired PARTY STORE?
the term 'PARTY STORE' is a michigan-specific phrase for a shop that sells mainly liquor, beer, lotto, pizza, and other convenient drinks, foods, and items. in spending time in port austin, lisa recognized a similarity between its tourism culture and that of her hometown of petoskey. the local economy relies on the tourists, but often the folks who come can have a 'disposable' quality to their visit, exemplified in the increase of consuming convenient items--often packaged in single-use plastic. by installing flowers that will ultimately be composted into a space that historically sells items that cannot be biodegraded, the artist hopes to bridge a connection for responsible choice-making in its visitors' future. 

prada marfa is a "pop architectural land art" project in the expanse of the west texas desert. it is a freestanding installation in the shape of a building, built to appear as a prada store, but is entirely non-functional. prada marfa relies almost entirely on its context for its critical effect, as does PARTY STORE, specifically sited in a former shop in port austin. 

the plastic bag store was a public art installation by artist and director robin frohardt employing humor, craft, and a critical lens to our culture of consumption and convenience — specifically, the enduring effects of our single-use plastics. free and open to the public, the plastic bag store occupied 20 times square, where shelves were stocked with thousands of original, hand-sculpted items — produce and meat, dry goods and toiletries, cakes and sushi rolls — all made from discarded, single-use plastics in an endless flux of packaging.

an additional note about PARTY STORE: this installation will be floral foam-free. lisa does not use foam, as it does not biodegrade, contaminates ground water with microplastics, and is known to contain toxic chemicals. what this meant for visitors was that friday’s morning’s aesthetics were very different than sunday afternoon.

where are the flowers coming from?
PARTY STORE financially supported michigan flower farmers—giving priority to those in michigan flower growers co-operative and slow flowers, as lisa is a member and fierce advocate for both organizations.

where is port austin?
it’s 2 1/2 hours north of detroit, in the “thumb” of michigan, if you use your hand to point it out like michiganders do. basically, take van dyke north until you hit lake huron.

why was PARTY STORE in port austin?
lisa was invited to port austin to participate in the artist in residence program, a sister program to arts and placemaking port austin—the folks behind the barn art you love.