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DOMINO EXPERT AND KINETIC ARTISTS TEAM UP TO BUILD CITY OUT OF 240,000 WOODEN PLANKS

Published: 2025-10-13 18:24:02 Last Updated: 2025-10-14 10:17:30

Ephemeral art is the practice of using dominoes to build towering constructions only to tumble them over. It is also intended to be transient, much like land art. The final goal is for everything to come down in a couple of seconds, preferably as planned, which requires a great deal of careful planning, meticulous design, and cautious construction. Few artists have perfected this craft and have dedicated their entire careers to it. Among them are kinetic artist Raffaele Salvoldi and Domino specialist Lily Hevesh. However, they chose to collaborate on a record-breaking initiative rather than view one another as competitors.
Imaginary City was a temporary installation composed of 240,000 wooden planks. Salvoldi created the concept, and over the course of 12 days, he, Hevesh, and six other skilled builders realised it. The admirable endeavour resulted in several towers with elaborate façades and domes. Everything was in position, so when it was carefully destroyed, Hevesh said it produced "one of the most stunning topples I've ever observed!" According to the builders, it has also shattered the record for the most planks that have been set up and toppled in a single project.
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The skill of both painters is evident in Imaginary City. Salvoldi solely uses natural or recycled materials in his pieces, such as stone and wood, which prolongs their lifespan by repurposing them in other artworks. According to his artist statement, "each show in the case of wood culminates in a major public event, where the structure is either brought down by a domino effect or demolished directly by the crowd."

Hevesh, on the other hand, takes a more whimsical approach, utilising colour experiments to produce hypnotic topples, as demonstrated in her Destination Domino piece at the National Building Museum in Washington. "Competition will never be superior to collaboration!" About their collaborative project, Salvoldi wrote. "The Imaginary City is a transient kinetic artwork that serves as a reminder of how fleeting beauty is and how a small, pointless gesture can occasionally have disastrous results." The artist also said that he would like to work with Hevesh and the other builders once more, calling them a "dream team."

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Article Tags: Viral Wooden Planks City Artist Kinetic Domino Expert