farmlab & artist mel chin

Farmlab hosts artist Mel Chin who will present an abridged version of his works of art as political critique. Chin is known for his sculptural woks, which are then planted in unlikely places, including his interests in land reclamation. His projects provoke a greater sense of social awareness for the public. In 1989, Chin developed a "greening" project called Revival Field that continues to evolve: the use of plants to remove toxins from the soil. Projects like Revival Filed will be discussed further at the Farmlab's studio, February 11th from 7-9 pm. For more information, visit www.farmlab.org.

avant-guardians: textlets in ecology and art by linda weintraub

Linda Weintraub, you are my eco-art hero... truly. It is only recently that I have discovered Weintraub's ''textlet'' series on art ecology. Each textlet has a thematic approach and features an array of contemporary artists who continue to pioneer for environmental principals.

It's safe to say that I have already purchased one of the delightful textlets for myself; "Eco-centric Topics: Pioneering Themes for Eco-Art". For information about the series, "Avant-Guardians: Textlets on Art and Ecology", visit www.avant-guardians.com.

saving the northern white rhino

This story was taken directly from npr.org. For more information, visit www.npr.org or you can listen via podcast at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=121980888.

This month, conservationists in the Czech Republic and Kenya launched an audacious bid to save one of the world's rarest animals: the northern white rhinoceros. Four of the last eight known northern whites in the world, two male and two female, were packed into wooden crates and sent from a Czech zoo to Kenya, where scientists hope they will get down to the business of breeding.

preserving robert smithson's spiral jetty...

Back in early 2008, Dia Art Foundation discovered an application filed by the Canadian oil and gas company, Pearl Montana Exploration and Production, which WOULD of allowed exploratory drilling in the Great Salt Lake. This "development" would have disrupted the physical sculpture of Robert Smithson's Spiral Jetty (located 3-5 miles from the development site)... not to mention the possible degradation of the natural ecosystem(s) within the Lake itself. However, the sate of Utah denied Pearl Montana's application... and for now, immediate drilling has ceased.

However, as of July, 2009, Dia has discovered yet another application, which was filed by the Great Salt Lake Minerals. This proposal relates to expansion re: solar evaporation ponds (i.e. extraction of potassium sulfate). Dia immediately issued public comments to Utah's Dept. of Water Quality and the US Army Corps of Engineers expressing their numerous concerns. Moreover, the Army Corps of Engineers is working on an Environmental Impact Study for the project and is slated for completion in early 2010.

We'll see... I am hopeful that conservation and preservation will prevail, but my skepticism seems to creep in from time-to-time. For more information on this topic visit the Dia Art Foundation site or click on the following link: http://www.diaart.org/sites/page/59/1245

solar powered, recycled bottle bus shelter

It was certainly nice to see my old stomping grounds, Lexington, Kentucky being mentioned on the Inhabit site. UK College of Design student, Aaron Scales has created a solar powered, recycled glass bottle bus shelter using Ale-8-One soft drink bottles (a favorite amongst Lexington locals), LED lights and solar panels.

This completely functional shelter was funded by a non-profit volunteer organization called Art in Motion. The objective is to serve local bus riders with artistic and sustainable bus shelters.

gsk contemporary: earth

GSK Contemporary lends it's message to the impact of climate change. My two favorite things: art and science. Both artists and scientists will have a collective voice in the exhibition, Earth: Art of a changing world. The collaboration between the GlaxoSmithKline (... interesting) and the Royal Academy of Arts is a first this year; and the opening of Earth is set to correlate with the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference slated for December 7th in Copenhagen, Denmark.

December 3rd 2009 - January 31st 2010
6 Burlington Gardens, Royal Academy of Arts; London