Parallelotree and the Mechanical Wind

This machine plays back wind recordings. The white acrylic shape encodes 23 seconds of wind velocity data. During playback the data is actualized through a swaying "tree". The tree is made of plastic drinking straws pinned precisely together so as to form parallelograms. I created this piece as both a sculpture and a prototype for a large public artwork.

Parallelotree and the Mechanical Wind recreates a fundamental scene from nature: a tree swaying in the wind. When we observe this scene in a meadow, or when we look out over the ocean, or examine the night sky, we find intrinsic beauty. Why? Has it been etched into our genetic makeup? Is it a sense that exists in our soul? And, more importantly, what is lost when such natural beauty is not present in our lives?

Cities use public art as a foil to the oppressiveness of their concrete grid. Such foils are necessary because cities arise at the expense of nature. Can a man-made object help recoup the loss? Perhaps not, but in creating this piece I strove for that ideal. Empowered by an actual recording from nature, Parallelotree attempts to imbue its viewers with the same sense of peace that exists beyond the city's reach.

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Science & Technology

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