Los Trompos

On April 24, 2015, the High Museum of Art, unveiled the second large-scale, interactive design installation by contemporary mexican designers Hector Esrawe and Ignacio Cadena on The Woodruff Arts Center’s Carroll Slater Sifly Piazza. The site-specific work, titled Los Trompos (The Spinning Tops), continued to multiyear initiative to activate the outdoor space and engage visitors in a meaningful art experience upon entering the campus of The Woodruff Arts Center (of which the Museum is a partner). Los Trompos created a destination outside the Museum where patrons could enjoy recreation, social interaction, performances, art-making activities and special events co-organized with local partner institutions.

As a blank canvas for community engagement and programming, Los Trompos drew its inspiration from the form of a spinning top, a popular toy with children around the world. The project featured more than 30 three-dimensional, larger than life tops in a variety of colors and shapes, which were installed throughout the piazza. The colorful surfaces of each top were created in part by fabric woven in a traditional style by mexican artisans. In addition to installing the tops on the Sifly Piazza, the High partnered with Midtown Alliance to bring this interactive design installation from The Woodruff Arts Center campus to the streets of Midtown. Seven locations for the tops were planned throughout the district. Co-curated by Sarah Schleuning, curator of decorative arts and design, and Virginia Shearer, the Eleanor McDonald Storza director of education.

Process