Joseph Smolinski’s cleverly titled exhibition After the Fall that is currently on display at Mixed Greens steps in at a socially responsible moment to imagine how solar panels and tree-shaped wind turbines could be seamlessly integrated with the natural landscape. This happens to come on the heels of Mayor Bloomberg’s August proposal for more renewable energy in New York City that emphasized developing a wind farm infrastructure. Lackadaisical consideration of wind energy has persisted for generations with obvious appeal for even the most neophyte environmentalists, usually tempered by grumblings about a compromised skyline. Instead of being outraged by the social set that could turn a blind eye to the commonplace aesthetic lack of America’s urban planning while refusing to consider the turbine field as a source of hypnotic solice, Joseph Smolinski graciously approaches the issue as an opportunity to create beauty. Who says that turbines have to look the way they always have? In urban settings, why not design windmills that are integrated into buildings or, even better, that function as joyous displays of design? Taking the cue from this exhibition’s reminder that artists often best imagine the solutions that invigorate political and scientific efforts, I imagine a glorious team of industrial designers and 70's-style land artists commissioned to create a spectacle of wind-harnesses worth traveling to.
The best part of the exhibition is discovering on the way out that Joseph's tree has actually been realized. Thanks to funding from Mixed Greens and MASS MoCA you can view a video of the tree in operation as well as stills of its construction.
No comments:
Post a Comment