Project Outline
‘Climate Change = Culture Change’
The climates of the world are dynamic processes to which cultures have adapted since time immemorial. Scientists are telling us that we are currently between ice ages while at the same time the globe is warming up at an unprecedented rate and weather is becoming ever more extreme in many places on earth. It is very important therefore, now more than ever, that people learn to respond to climate change in a creative and innovative way.
The SunGlacier art project hopes to stimulate people to think creatively about solutions to the challenges of climate change. These changes are not necessarily all negative or better still, if we can find a way to turn some of them to our advantage then nothing should stop us to do so. To carry this fresh and positive way of thinking forward, I have kicked off the SunGlacier project as a new and unique sequel to the successful cool(E)motion endeavour.
Some dedicated works of art will symbolize the dynamic link between climate and culture and represent innovation, creativity and indeed the impossible. The art aims to help people to think of the unthinkable, believe in the unbelievable and realise the seemingly unrealistic. To literally shift boundaries. SunGlacier is part of a chain of projects that over time will stand for a new way of thinking about climate change. The SunGlacier project team will focus attention on the current state of the art in relevant technology and its ability to offer solutions to the challenges of climate change. Our belief is that we must move forward without wasting energy to ‘naming, blaming, shaming’ as so often seems to be the case in the current debate on climate change.
The SunGlacier Project will grow to represent a new revolution in which our culture will adapt ever faster to the changes in climate that we may encounter on our way. Climate seems to be changing quicker in our time; then so should be our response. Will that be harder for us because we are more numerous than the hunters and gatherers of old? They must have adapted too and without the access to technology that we have.
SunGlacier will demonstrate that with the current state of technology much can be achieved in the way of a response. We mean to explore the boundaries of technology and realise the seemingly impossible. Our first work of art harvests water from air by placing it in the sun. The more sunrays it catches the more water it will produce. To experience that contradictory or at least counterintuitive response presented in different works of art will help viewers to shift their mindset to the impossible, the unimaginable.
The SunGlacier Project:
-Desert Cascades
- SunGlacier Sculpture
Desert Cascades
From the inspiration and research of the SunGlacier project making ice in a desert – and inspired by the increasing urgency of water resource shortages – we have developed the concept of creating an actual working waterfall also in an extreme dry area. The Desert Cascades concept is a nature-inspired sculpture made from wood with components in a cube base that are attached to solar panels which independently supply energy to catch water vapour in the surrounding air. Water that is produced will erupt from the top of the sculpture to flow down and create a secondary natural effect.
SunGlacier Sculpture
Another approach to realise the seemingly impossible will be to place solar cells on an elm shaped artwork that generates energy to drive a cooling unit to produce ice settling on the sculpture from the moisture in the surrounding air.
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks