TOMB FOR THE HOLOCENE
18 “ W x 18” L x 22” H • Second hand ABS plastic (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene), aka LEGOs.
The title of this sculpture refers to the 12,000 year geological epoch that has allowed human civilization to exist due to its climatic stability: the Holocene. Environmental scientists now assert that it has concluded (as a consequence of climate change), opting for a new term for the age we’ve entered: the Anthropocene. The sculpture is an adaptation of an etching of a tomb by the 18th century Italian artist Giovanni Battista Piranesi (who marvels that such a ruin was able to stand in the inscription below the image), and is comprised of over 10,000 LEGOs.
SURVIVAL KIT
USED/Second hand: Case, LEGOs, pen, brush, frame, plastic case. HANDMADE: mahogany bull roarer, basswood sculpture, kalimba.
NEW MATERIALS: bamboo utensils, plastic bottle, pencils, eraser. OTHER: bone, unknown (sphere)
MEMENTO FUTURI
This series explores the existential threats posed by climate change,
through the medium of second hand ABS plastic (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene), aka LEGOs.
The use of second hand materials is intentional, as nearly all plastic products are manufactured from raw materials derived in part from fossil fuels.
