Begun April 2015, Power Contemplations is a series of artworks and writings inspired by my ongoing interest in exploring infrastructure as a hidden/shadow architecture of interconnection. I believe infrastructure, such as power lines and water mains, tells a story of how our daily lives are interconnected with nature—whether from a sink through pipes to the river, or from a light switch, through wires, to the sky. The artwork for Power Contemplations began with the demolition of electrical components during our home remodel and my feeling that they held memories of electric uses and impacts from our own and prior owners’ lives. I decided to use this remodeling waste as art material to reflect on my relationship to electrical power. The writing for Power Contemplations includes past essays and exploration about electric power, and new writing.
Power Contemplations Artwork
 |
| Power Basket, Detail in Progress |
Multimedia: Reclaimed electric wire, switches and outlets
20” w x 40” l x 20” h (final)
2015 (exhibited in progress)
In Power Basket, ritual is expressed in the repetitive basket-weaving motions that transform electrical waste into an object of meditation. Removed from their prior everyday hidden function, the wire and controls take on new roles as open-ended metaphor, as part of a the human instinct to transform material into new forms and meanings.
Power Basket was part of the exhibit: Sustainable Acts: Mother Earth's Embrace, at Institute on the Environment, St. Paul Campus, University of Minnesota 2015-2016.
 |
| Switch, Detail |
Multimedia: Reclaimed electrical switches and junction boxes, reclaimed wood framing studs, tar paper, non-toxic wood finish, acrylic paint, mirror, inkjet-printed photograph and text on transparency film
64" w x 11" h x 4" d
2016
Switch reflects a struggle with the effects of power consumption and questions about personal power to make change. As part of Switch, I went on “pilgrimages” upstream from my electric meter to photograph five power plants that represent five types of electric generation I hope will be substantially replaced by renewables: nuclear, coal, gas, oil, and trash incineration. Switch is a ritual object, representing appreciation of the gifts of electricity from these plants, sadness at their/my impacts, and a decision upon opening of the exhibit to switch to wind power. Visitors may carefully operate the switches to experience the work.
Switch is part of the exhibit, Fierce Lament, at Form + Content Gallery, Minneapolis, MN April 14-May 14, 2016.
Other works are in progress.
