Deconstructed Landscapes
Everyday Futures Fest, Palumbo Park, Fleisher Art Memorial, Philadelphia, 2022
Deconstructed Landscapes, a month-long public art exhibition in Philadelphia's Palumbo Park during April 2022, presents a thought-provoking reimagining of classical American landscape painting within a contemporary urban context. Created for the DaVinci Art Alliance's Everyday Future Fest, this installation draws primary inspiration from the works of Thomas Cole, a founding member of the Hudson River School, while also echoing themes present in Thomas Doughty's Morning Among the Hills.
The exhibition's conceptual framework revolves around Cole's self-invented paradigm for distinctly American landscapes, which necessitates five key components: water, mountains, sky, forest, and wilderness. However, "Deconstructed Landscapes" radically reinterprets these elements, transposing them from the idealized natural settings of 19th-century paintings into the gritty reality of a 21st-century urban park.
In the images provided, we see a series of sculptural installations that cleverly reference Cole's five landscape components:
The use of everyday, often discarded materials in the installation (such as garbage bags, plastic bins, and metal ducts) echoes the earlier discussion of Sarah Peoples' work, which emphasized the use of found objects and upcycling as a means of environmental commentary. This approach not only demonstrates a commitment to sustainable artistic practices but also serves as a potent metaphor for the transformation of the American landscape from pristine wilderness to urban jungle.
Moreover, the vibrant colors employed in the installation – the bright yellow base in Image 4, the intense green structure in Image 2, and the purple garbage bags in Image 3 – create a visual dissonance that contrasts sharply with the muted, natural tones typically found in Hudson River School paintings. This color palette might be interpreted as a commentary on the artificial and constructed nature of urban environments, or perhaps as a celebration of the vibrancy and diversity of city life.
The juxtaposition of these sculptural elements against the backdrop of brick buildings and bare trees (visible in several images) creates a dialogue between the idealized past of American landscape painting and the complex realities of contemporary urban life. This interplay invites viewers to reconsider their relationship with nature in an increasingly urbanized world and to reflect on how our conception of the American landscape has evolved over time.
In conclusion, "Deconstructed Landscapes" stands as a powerful reimagining of the American landscape tradition, translating the romanticized visions of Cole and Doughty into a contemporary urban vernacular. By deconstructing and reconfiguring the essential elements of classical landscape painting, the exhibition challenges viewers to reconsider their understanding of nature, urbanization, and the evolving American identity. It serves as a testament to the enduring influence of the Hudson River School while simultaneously pushing the boundaries of landscape representation in the 21st century.
The exhibition's conceptual framework revolves around Cole's self-invented paradigm for distinctly American landscapes, which necessitates five key components: water, mountains, sky, forest, and wilderness. However, "Deconstructed Landscapes" radically reinterprets these elements, transposing them from the idealized natural settings of 19th-century paintings into the gritty reality of a 21st-century urban park.
In the images provided, we see a series of sculptural installations that cleverly reference Cole's five landscape components:
- Water: Represented by a large, curved metal duct (Image 1), possibly symbolizing the redirection and control of natural water sources in urban environments.
- Mountains: Evoked by a pyramid of purple garbage bags (Image 3), perhaps commenting on the accumulation of waste in our consumer society.
- Sky: Suggested by the open space above the installations and the existing trees in the park.
- Forest: Reimagined through the green, lattice-like structure (Image 2), which could represent the artificial nature of urban green spaces.
- Wilderness: Depicted by the chaotic, red wire sculpture (Image 4), possibly symbolizing the untamed aspect of nature struggling to exist within the confines of a city.
The use of everyday, often discarded materials in the installation (such as garbage bags, plastic bins, and metal ducts) echoes the earlier discussion of Sarah Peoples' work, which emphasized the use of found objects and upcycling as a means of environmental commentary. This approach not only demonstrates a commitment to sustainable artistic practices but also serves as a potent metaphor for the transformation of the American landscape from pristine wilderness to urban jungle.
Moreover, the vibrant colors employed in the installation – the bright yellow base in Image 4, the intense green structure in Image 2, and the purple garbage bags in Image 3 – create a visual dissonance that contrasts sharply with the muted, natural tones typically found in Hudson River School paintings. This color palette might be interpreted as a commentary on the artificial and constructed nature of urban environments, or perhaps as a celebration of the vibrancy and diversity of city life.
The juxtaposition of these sculptural elements against the backdrop of brick buildings and bare trees (visible in several images) creates a dialogue between the idealized past of American landscape painting and the complex realities of contemporary urban life. This interplay invites viewers to reconsider their relationship with nature in an increasingly urbanized world and to reflect on how our conception of the American landscape has evolved over time.
In conclusion, "Deconstructed Landscapes" stands as a powerful reimagining of the American landscape tradition, translating the romanticized visions of Cole and Doughty into a contemporary urban vernacular. By deconstructing and reconfiguring the essential elements of classical landscape painting, the exhibition challenges viewers to reconsider their understanding of nature, urbanization, and the evolving American identity. It serves as a testament to the enduring influence of the Hudson River School while simultaneously pushing the boundaries of landscape representation in the 21st century.
Sky & Plastic Waterfall
Havre de Grace Maritime Museum, Maryland, 2023
Sky, 2023, post-consumer recycled materials, paint, 108 x 72 x 72 inches
Plastic Waterfall, 2022, post-consumer recycled materials, paint and rebar, 216 x 47 x 40 inches
From June - October 2023, Sky and Plastic Waterfall were part of a solo public art exhibition titled Between Wind and Water at the Havre de Grace Maritime Museum in Havre de Grace, Maryland.
Sky was constructed from a refuse, HVAC duct and scavenged corrugated plastic sheeting. The form echoes the elemental qualities of the wind and was inspired by the ancient, Greek Winged Victory of Samothrace located in the Louvre.
Wind, a phenomenon resulting from the uneven heating of the Earth's surface by the sun, is characterized by the movement of air from regions of high pressure to those of low pressure. As warm air above landmasses expands and rises, it is replaced by denser, cooler air, thus generating wind currents. Despite its lack of physical substance, wind exerts both gentle and powerful forces upon the environment.
Throughout history, trade winds have played a pivotal role in facilitating human exploration, fostering communication, and shaping global economies. The influence of wind extends far beyond its immediate perceptibility, as it contributes significantly to the transportation of moisture, the dispersion of pollutants, and the sculpting of landscapes through erosion. Furthermore, wind serves as a crucial factor in the circulation of ocean currents and the pollination of seeds, thereby demonstrating its profound, though often invisible, impact on the intricate workings of our planet.
Plastic Waterfall, 2022, post-consumer recycled materials, paint and rebar, 216 x 47 x 40 inches
From June - October 2023, Sky and Plastic Waterfall were part of a solo public art exhibition titled Between Wind and Water at the Havre de Grace Maritime Museum in Havre de Grace, Maryland.
Sky was constructed from a refuse, HVAC duct and scavenged corrugated plastic sheeting. The form echoes the elemental qualities of the wind and was inspired by the ancient, Greek Winged Victory of Samothrace located in the Louvre.
Wind, a phenomenon resulting from the uneven heating of the Earth's surface by the sun, is characterized by the movement of air from regions of high pressure to those of low pressure. As warm air above landmasses expands and rises, it is replaced by denser, cooler air, thus generating wind currents. Despite its lack of physical substance, wind exerts both gentle and powerful forces upon the environment.
Throughout history, trade winds have played a pivotal role in facilitating human exploration, fostering communication, and shaping global economies. The influence of wind extends far beyond its immediate perceptibility, as it contributes significantly to the transportation of moisture, the dispersion of pollutants, and the sculpting of landscapes through erosion. Furthermore, wind serves as a crucial factor in the circulation of ocean currents and the pollination of seeds, thereby demonstrating its profound, though often invisible, impact on the intricate workings of our planet.
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Plastic Waterfall was created from post-consumer, recycled plastics, paint and rebar in response to the disturbing proliferation of single use plastic water bottles polluting waterways across the country.
This piece was also installed at the Havre de Grace Maritime Museum in Maryland for an exhibition titled Between Wind and Water and had previously exhibited at Cira Center as a part of the "Plastic Free Philly" initiative. Peoples was awarded one of the spots in the “Plastic Free Philly” initiative to eradicate single use plastics from our waterways by encouraging reusable water bottles. I’m excited and honored to be a part of this project. A Plastic Waterfall standing 15’ tall made of post consumer and recycled materials/plastics. All materials were originally receptacles for water. Scale is the most integral of all sculptural content. It’s all at once the meaning, symbolism, expression and concept of any given work. Oddly enough bigger is usually better but not necessarily for the showy moments that one might initially think. The relationship between architecture or the natural world and the art must be in balance or the piece is lost. I will be adding the blue IBC agricultural tank to the base in order to address this concern. Plastic is the antithesis of water, and this work seeks to demonstrate that fraught dynamic. |