Altruism Generator is the title of the interactive kinetic sculpture installation located in the temporary corridor leading to the library and computer center.
It is the work of Evergreen alumnus and recycled materials artist Bil Fleming with contributions from Lincoln Elementary School teacher Barbara Weaver, her class of 25 fourth and fifth graders, faculty member Hirsh Diamant, and students from the program Early Childhood Education: A Silk Roads Perspective.
Fleming and Evergreen students engaged the kids in multiple workshops where each was given a salvaged bicycle wheel, customized its axle to be mounted onto a piece of salvaged wood and then decorated it with materials from home that would otherwise be thrown away. Wheels came from sources including the garbage of an Olympia program that provides bikes to the homeless and Indian Creek near the new Olympia Woodland Trail.
As background for this project the students were shown the video Story of Stuff. This video offers a cogent analysis and synthesis of our material economys social economic and environmental problems that is digestible for everyone - including kids. It can be viewed at www.storyofstuff.com.
The artist was invited to create the installation by Evergreens Diamant after seeing Flemings installation called Projectionists Gardens at the Capitol Theater. For a video of it search YouTube for Bil Fleming.
About that installation Fleming says Ive wanted to use less electricity and so I went to human powerit instantly created an opportunity for interactivity and put the viewer into a position where if they want to get the whole experience out of the piece they must act rather than just passively view. This brings the sense of touch, a sense that is off limits for much of conventional art.
Flemings art has progressed over the years from the drawing and printmaking of his pre-college years to collage, photography, printmaking and assemblage sculpture during college at Evergreen and on to interactive kinetic installations, digital photography and performance art since his graduation in 1991.
The title Altruism Generator came from Lincoln Elementary Teacher Barbara Weaver. When asked how the installation might actually create altruism a fifth grader responded by getting people to think and talk about altruism. Weavers classroom approach includes emphasis on the idea that our intentions create the future. Diamant was particularly interested in inviting viewers to participate by including some way for them to contribute their altruistic intentions and for the voices of the children to be included in the installation and added the idea of wheels of fortune and Tibetan Prayer Wheels.
The children who had been part of the workshops also wrote the altruistic fortunes arrayed around two of the installations wheels. One young student wrote the Zen-like know there will be something to stand on, or someone will teach you to fly Some spaces around the wheels were left blank intentionally so others could contribute their voices. Anonymous contributors scribed the humorously generous Buy a bum a cookie! or a sandwich or a hamster. and the complimentary Tell someone theyre beautiful! Clearly, altruistic sentiments were evoked.
Another complex of wheels that are part of the installation tells a participants I Ching (an ancient Chinese symbol system used to identify order in chance events sometimes regarded as a system of divination.) These wheels are linked by a belt of plastic grocery bags driven by pushing and pulling a lever with the symbols of the I Ching arrayed around them. To use it pull the lever, make note of the symbol each wheel points to and find them on the matrix posted nearby. The number from the matrix can be looked up (at the Library or the online) to receive insight offered by this more than 4,000 year old system.
Fleming says his next interactive kinetic sculpture installation will be for the Ballard Re-Stores 6th Annual Recycled Art and Fashion Show April 18th May 10th 2008. I hope to create a kinetic Gordian Knot of recycled materials said Fleming. He was recently awarded a temporary art commission from the City of Olympia to produce a performance art piece titled Performance Dishwashing. Scheduled for August 15th at the Olympia Farmers Market it promises to broadly promote reusable dishes instead of disposable ones while engaging the market goers in some wacky fun entertainment and his work is part of the City of Seattle Portable Works Collection.
Fleming adds Thanks to Evergreeners for hosting my work and especially Hirsh, Barbara, Shaana, Brandon, JJ, Sierra, and Barbaras class. Thanks also to Mindy at the Library, Kanako at Dumpster Values; Tracey at Bike and Bike, Shorty at Build a Bike, and Larry at Oly Bikes, for their wheels; and Evergreen Bike Shops Heidi for her technical expertise! There couldnt have been an Altruism Generator without these altruistic people!
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Interesting
AirForce194 2 years ago