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Being a fall guy all day long
Relax, it's only art
By Jon Yates
Tribune staff reporter
Published June 15, 2005

He fell head first, arms flailing and mouth agape as he descended the five stories--oh so slowly.
"A little faster," he yelled, and then fell again. And again and again.
More than 30 times in all, in all manner of contorted poses, upside down and backward, he launched himself Tuesday from the roof of the Museum of Contemporary Art.

Days from now, he'll go on his computer and edit out the aircraft cable, the pulleys and the harnesses that were attached to his waist and feet.
He'll pick out a half-dozen photos--pictures of himself dressed in a business suit or camouflage pants or a T-shirt and jeans. He'll choose the ones that he expects will make people think. And Kerry Skarbakka will have his art.

"It's not about me. I'm an everyguy," said Skarbakka, 34, taking a break from his falling to talk to a reporter and others who had gathered to watch his performance. "I'm interested in bringing new light to contemporary art. This is my attempt at reaching a new public."
Skarbakka, who grew up in Tennessee and later moved to Chicago, was inspired by the images of Sept. 11, 2001. He remembers seeing people jump from the World Trade Center and thinking about their emotions. He went about finding ways to get a small glimpse of what they might have felt.

He began practicing in his back yard, first falling off a tree or a fence. Later, he moved to a porch, then threw himself down a hill repeatedly. He had others take pictures of him, which became the basis for an installation in the MCA's 12x12 new artists display in late 2002.
Over the next several years, Skarbakka experimented with different locales and objects. He broke a rib falling from atop an 8-foot ladder while using a poorly constructed harness. He traveled to Sarajevo and Eastern Europe, falling in places where war was still fresh. On Tuesday, he brought his performance back to the MCA, where crowds swelled on the front steps each time Skarbakka was hoisted by cables, then lowered at varying speeds while cameramen snapped photos from all angles.

Some in the crowd thought it brilliant. Others barely cared. Either way it was, for many, a rare opportunity to see art being made.
"It's acting, is what it is," lamented Emily Moss, 24, of Chicago, as she watched Skarbakka fall, his legs set at stiff angles while his arms swam through the air. "There's no fear in his eyes. There's no actual fear. What are we supposed to feel? The magic has been taken out of art."
For Carl DeVries, 33, that was exactly the appeal.

"What I'm really impressed with is the fact he has story-boarded all of this," DeVries said as he watched the repeated falls. "It's self-awareness coupled with self-expression."

Skarbakka, who moved to New York last year, planned Tuesday's jumps for more than a year, eventually teaming up with the MCA, an enthusiastic participant.
"It seemed like a perfect fit for us to extend our commitment to young artists," said Greg Cameron, the museum's deputy director. "He's just a really smart artist. He's committed to his art, but he understands in 2005 how to connect with his audience."

At various times Tuesday, Skarbakka stopped to answer questions. Using a bullhorn, he tried to explain what he was doing and encouraged members of the crowd to come closer and become part of the photo shoot.
Unlike with some of his previous jumps, from much lower heights, Skarbakka took great pains to ensure his safety Tuesday. He hired a professional theatrical rigging company, the Chicago Flyhouse, to construct a cantilever atop the museum, strung with two 2,000-pound wires that controlled his fall.

Skarbakka tested his moves Saturday in the company's studio, then took the air Tuesday.
At times he looked like a life-sized marionette, his moves carefully choreographed as he fell. Below, some members of the crowd clapped and cheered. Others craned their necks, cameras clicking and video cameras rolling.

"It was fabulous," said Darlene Schuff, 56, who drove in from Highland Park. "I just wanted to be a part of it. It's a happening."
Up above, Skarbakka yelled, "One, two, three ... go!" and he was off again.
"I think it's cool," said Rachel Lebin, 24, but her friend wasn't buying it.
"I'm not such a fan of contemporary art," said Shana Langer, 25. "Some of the stuff I just don't understand."
As he fell again, there were more cheers, although not everyone clapped.

"Half of them don't know what's going on, half don't care and half pay attention," Skarbakka said. "But it gets people to ask questions ... I'm trying to make it as interesting as possible."
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