Glow 2013 Artists Unveiled

Glow—Santa Monica's popular overnight, outdoor public art event at the beach—will return September 2013 with its first artist-in-residence, organizers announced Friday.

Los Angeles-based media artist, Rebeca Méndez, will put on pop-up art events, introduce an online-only component, and other concepts designed to engage the community during the weeks and months leading up to event on Sept. 28, 2013.

“I am delighted," Méndez said in a statement. "I have had to travel great distances for other artist-in-residence programs, including Iceland, so I am particularly excited to have this opportunity so near my own home.”

Other artists unveiled Friday morning at an intimate news conference at Loew's Hotel:

• Janet Echelman builds living, breathing sculpture environments that respond to the forces of nature—wind, water and light—and become inviting focal points for civic life.
• Glenn Kaino’s expansive range of art explores new magic, model kits, books, animation and ancient seafaring. He weilds sophisticated computer engineering skills and boasts a knack for finding superbly skilled collaborators.
• Victoria Vesna's installations explore how communication technologies affect collective behavior and how perceptions of identity shift in relation to scientific innovation.

Between 100,000 and 200,000 visitors are expected to swarm Santa Monica Beach during the course of the night, according to the city's Cultural Affairs Division and Santa Monica Arts Foundation, which collaborate to produce the event.

"The overarching intent of the evening is to break through the public’s preconceived notion of what art can be, encouraging both thoughtful contemplation and energetic participation," organizers said in a statement. 

"While museums and galleries sleep, Glow comes alive,"  they continued, [it] offers a rare and remarkable opportunity for the public to connect with contemporary art in new ways and to rediscover familiar spaces through the eyes of artists."