File photo | The Republic A portion of The Crump Theatre’s interior will be part of the Open Door Tour Saturday.
Shanti Pierce wants you to know that bamboo is more than “just for tiki huts,” as she puts it.
She loves the plant that she grows and heavily promotes so very much that you might as well call her the Bamboo Boss.
“Many people have some small idea of what bamboo is,” said the head of Bamboo Leaf Tea, based in Orlando, Florida. “But they have no idea of the remarkable versatility of it.”
They will, kids and adults alike, if they come to enjoy a free (with $5 suggested donations) bamboo film documentary, “The Bamboo Dialogues,” and a range of related, hands-on activities planned by Exhibit Columbus participants at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at The Crump Theatre, 425 Third St. in downtown Columbus.
She and group of people currently contracted to help build Studio Zede’s Exhibit Columbus Miller Prize installation “Echoes of the Hill” at Mill Race Park a few blocks from the historic theater. When viewed from the hill at the park amphitheater across the way, the sweeping effort constructed of bamboo looks something like a ship skeleton, or maybe a half moon.
Originally, it was thought that such a creation would have to be done in steel. But Pierce agrees that the bamboo seems to fit the park’s natural aesthetic much better than any metal.
“This is such a big, bold project that it really showcases the strength of bamboo,” Pierce said.
She’ll bring loads of bamboo pieces and parts for people to create take-home art. Nudge her only slightly and she will regale you with stories of bamboo art contests, the health and medicinal benefits of bamboo and even the documented. sensory benefits of youngsters working with bamboo.
She cares passionately enough about all this that she drove up from Florida in a van last week with seemingly enough bamboo supplies to build toy-sized tiki huts from here to Indianapolis.
“It is,” she said, “such a unique material.”
