arise
2018, 30' x 30' x 45', plastic debris, tinted polycrylic, hardware, LEDs
This Installation is comprised of over 30 individual illuminated sculptures made from plastic debris. It utilizes a new method of welding industrial plastic debris for the larger illuminated components. Commissioned by Lauritzen Gardens in Omaha, NE for temporary exhibition, Arise includes an interactive/participatory element of a stream of different colored bottle caps that have been cleaned and sorted. The caps stem from a koi pond and lead to the base of the orange vortex of sculpted components. Visitors to the garden are invited to contribute their clean plastic caps to the cap stream. Arise includes approximately 20 illuminated "blight" sculptures and 10 other welded illuminated sculptures made from a variety of plastic debris. You can see me welding one of the larger sculptural components in the image below. The orange plastic debris was taken from decommissioned highway safety drums that most often when cracked or badly dented go into landfill. This piece couldn't have been created without support from The Orange County Arts Council of NY, The Recycling Coordinator of Orange County, NY, and many kind hands, heads and hearts in Omaha.
photos by Marshall Coles
