Joseph Smolinski - Biography

MIXED GREENS


		ALL ARTISTS Kim Beck Chris Coffin Alessandra Exposito Howard Fonda Tamara Gayer Kimberley Hart Brian Jobe Zane Lewis Joan Linder Christina Mazzalupo Adia Millett Mark Mulroney Rob Nadeau Coke Wisdom O’Neal Frank Olive and Rudy Shepherd Soner Ön Stas Orlovski Paul Plante Kammy Roulner AA Rucci Carol Salmanson Rudy Shepherd Joseph Smolinski Travis LeRoy Southworth Lee Stoetzel Julianne Swartz Steed Taylor Mary Temple Leah Tinari Dirk Westphal WINDOW INSTALLATIONS

WINDOW INSTALLATIONS

There are things in nature that never cease to make me wonder. Living through developing societies, tragedies of war and natural disasters, trees continue to regulate our climate, improve our water quality and clean our air. The oldest and largest organisms on our planet survive a history longer than we can remember.

It was quite a shock the day I came across a giant fake tree looming above the interstate landscape. This pseudo-biotech hybrid was erected to camouflage the cellular communication transmitters beneath its fronds. It struck me as the beginning of a new history yet to be written. In this vision, parasitic cell tower trees populate the landscape in many forms that become historic landmarks, roadside curiosities and survivors of natural disasters.

Through these explorations I wondered what else the tree could become. I began reading about wind power and its aesthetic opponents led me to begin my Tree Turbine project. It is clear that wind-generated electricity is a clean, sustainable alternative to climate-warming fossil fuels. I concluded that if these opposing groups disguised their cell towers as trees then why not disguise the wind turbine?

Trees continue to permeate my work not only through their religious, political and personal histories, but also as means to question technology and the future of the natural world.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Q: If you could choose anyone to commission a piece, who would it be and why?
A: Perhaps Al Gore would like a spinning tree to help fight global warming?

Q: How do you know when something is done?
A: My work tends to haunt me when it is unfinished or needs to changed. Its almost like I can hear it calling me in the night like the ghosts in A Christmas Carol.

Q: Have your dreams influenced your work?
A: I did have a dream about a spinning tree before I started the Tree Turbine project.

Q: What do you do in your studio besides make art?
A: Darts, dance parties and drink ’n draw (a drawing party in response to Jessie’s stitch ’n bitch parties)

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