Angels in the Laundromat

Through April 2003

Duds ‘N Suds Laundry

5430…

Angels in the Laundromat

Through April 2003

Duds ‘N Suds Laundry

5430 Centre Ave.

(412) 681-1636

It was a night of Clorox wishes and Laundromat dreams at “Angels in the Laundromat,” held at Duds ‘N Suds in Shadyside Nov. 23. More than 100 angel figures, all sculpted from donated dryer lint and hanging on invisible lines, filled the air with breezy effervescence to toast The National Lint Project’s second season of interactive installation art, “Lint in the Laundromat.”

Larger-than-life lint celebrities Betty Press and Spin Dry, “arrived” together to greeted attendees. Betty dazzled in her signature puffy pink pantaloons, and Spin adorned his dreadlocks with sporty socks in this year’s first snow. This marks the first time the giant lint puppets have been seen together as a couple, adding fresh wrinkles to the buzz that began with their appearance at October’s Black Sheep Puppet Festival.

The gala was created by artist Cheryl Capezzuti, founder of The National Lint Project. As part of the project’s mission to connect art with people, “Lint in the Laundromat” offers several ways for the community to participate. Anonymous dryer lint donations can be placed in a collection box at Duds’ N Suds in order to be molded into spectacular angels. A donor who provides a package of lint along with their name, address and a short note describing what they washed will be mailed a sculpture made from the same material.

Capezzuti also involves the public by teaching free art lessons at the Duds ‘N Suds, where she encourages people to sculpt with lint, or to create other works inspired by the sculptures or the task of doing laundry. Recently, Capezzuti asked participants to compose “cinquains,” five-line poems that follow a distinctive structure.

Back at the opening, everybody was talking about the new faces, Capezzuti’s “Lint Guys,” miniature sculptures sitting at the reserved tables. Each of the Lint Guys attended as a result of the charitable gifts of generous benefactors.

Throughout the evening, the Duds ‘N Suds snack bar offered their usual specialties, kosher hot dogs and pizza bagels, and the event staff kept the chip bowls filled. The disk jockey was spinning angel-themed pop hits such as “Johnny Angel,” “Blue Angel” and “Angel Baby” – and the tumbling dryers kept rhythm.

A festive time was had by launderers, lotto players and art patrons alike. It was this reporter’s pleasure to mix and mingle among the “linterati,” and to throw in a load of unmentionables with the whirl of holiday preparations, parties and finals approaching fast.

Another cycle of lint angels arrives Dec. 13, when Capezzuti’s “Angels and Other Creatures” opens at the Three Rivers Arts Festival Gallery, 707 Penn Ave., Downtown.

The exhibit at Duds ‘N Suds, 5430 Centre Ave., Shadyside, will continue to grow and change through April 2003. The free art lessons are Mondays from 7 to 9 p.m.