The 2019 version of Blink will be nearly twice as big as the first event, with more projection mappings, and more murals. Organizers say they won't reveal the light-based installation artists and parade entries until September.
At a press conference Tuesday afternoon, organizers declared the latest incarnation of Blink will include 39 projection mappings from 36 different organizations or artist groups, and 16 new murals.
The first art festival drew more than a million people to Downtown Cincinnati and Over-the-Rhine over four nights in October 2017. The second Blink has already grown to include the Roebling Suspension Bridge and several blocks in Covington.
Twenty-one of the projection artists come from Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, and the rest are from six different countries, and seven U.S. cities. And, "We're thrilled that 50% of our projection mapping installations are either led by or exclusively produced by female artists," organizer Steve McGowan of Brave Berlin says.
Eight of the muralists are from overseas, and eight are from the United States, including Cincinnati-based Xylene. "We're excited to bring this diverse and globally renowned group of artists to Blink. The 15 new murals will join the nine created in Cincinnati's Findlay Market neighborhood for Blink in 2017," says Andrew Salzbrun of Blink marketing partner the Agar. Another mural will be created at 6th and Madison in Covington.
In July, organizers announced other features that will be found in Covington, including a pop-up disco party with the world's largest mobile disco ball, and a light installation on the Ohio River.
Blink is free, but for the first time organizers are offering a VIP experience which includes access to private tents and restrooms and limited seating for viewing the parade. There's also Blink merchandise available for sale.
Blink will run from Oct. 10-13.
BLINK 2019 PROJECTION MAPPING ARTISTS AND ARTIST GROUPS
- George Berlin, Chicago, IL
- Blockhouse Media, Bloomington, IN
- Brave Berlin, Cincinnati, OH
- Brave Berlin & L4 Studio, Cincinnati, OH and Canada
- Brave Berlin & Christian Dallas, Cincinnati, OH and Latonia, KY
- Brave Berlin & Masery Studios, Cincinnati, OH and Boston, MA
- Brave Berlin and Bicicleta Sem Freio, Cincinnati, OH and Portugal
- Brave Berlin and Fifth Third Innovation, Cincinnati, OH
- Brave Berlin and Saya Woolfalk, Cincinnati, OH and New York, NY
- Brave Berlin and Telmo Miel, Cincinnati, OH and Netherlands
- Brave Berlin and The London Police, Cincinnati, OH and Amsterdam
- Brave Berlin and Xylene, Cincinnati, OH
- Tiffany Carbonneau, New Albany, IN
- Cincy Illuminations, Newport, KY
- Crossroads, Cincinnati, OH
- Greg D'Amico, Cincinnati, OH
- Kyle Ebersole, Cincinnati, OH
- Empower, Cincinnati, OH
- Epipheo, Cincinnati, OH
- Faith XLVII & Inka Kendzia, South Africa
- Foster & Flux, Cincinnati, OH
- Christopher Glenn, Cincinnati, OH
- Hambone Collective, Cincinnati, OH
- Chaske Haverkos, Cincinnati, OH
- Keep Cincinnati Beautiful, Cincinnati, OH
- Klip Collective, Philadelphia, PA
- Gerhard Koenderink, Cincinnati, OH
- Lisa Koepke & Patrick Down, Cincinnati, OH
- Lightborne, Cincinnati, OH
- Tuesday McGowan & Scott Fredette, Cincinnati, OH
- OBLSK, Worthington, OH
- Polymath, Covington, KY
- Sean Van Praag, Cincinnati, OH
- Jason Snell, Cincinnati, OH
- Spotted Yeti Media, Covington, KY
- Judy K Suh, Chicago, IL
BLINK 2019 MURALISTS
- Beau Stanton, New York, NY
- Bikismo, Puerto Rico
- Chinny Bond, Bogota
- Bordalo II, Portugal
- Elle, New York
- Faith XLVII, South Africa
- Galo, Italy
- Herakut, Germany
- Lindz & Lamb, Denver, CO
- Logan Hicks, New York, NY
- Natalia Rak, Poland
- Royyal Dog, South Korea
- Tatiana Suarez, Miami FL
- Taylor White, Raleigh, NC
- The London Police, Amsterdam
- Vhils, Portugal
- Xylene, Cincinnati, OH
