don’t touch, blow kisses
if a windmill is not turning feel free to blow a kiss directly at the center, where the arms meet.

this work comments on our energy producing methods. the appearance of wind generated electricity is immediately contradicted by the power supply boxes, which are plugged into the wall. i am not sure what type of energy winthrop receives from Duke Power, but it is not wind or solar generated. perhaps one day this will change, but i would like to clarify how this is not winthrop’s fault. local private electric utilities need to invest more in environmentally sound sources. on the positive side, Winthrop received the Duke Energy Efficiency Award in late 2006. we have obviously been investing in energy conservation. many of the ideas represented in this piece are dependent on it’s location. when the project receives its electricity from a renewable and emission-free source it will simply act as an extension of that source. the piece will bring with it an acknowledgment to global environmental responsibility and sustainability. the piece will serve as a window while reminding us of our developing virtual windows.
the irregular pattern in which the windmills spin is inconsistent with our traditional notions toward electronic items. this is because our electronic commodities are becoming less and less visible. our machines are so powerful, fast, small, and full of storage that we forget their mechanical nature. however, electronics are currently moving away from traditional mechanical methods. Ray kurzweil believes within twenty years computers will be invisible and thoroughly infused with reality. nanotechnology will undoubtedly play a role in this transition. nano scale computers will produce little post-consumer waste, which is highly attractive to me. currently, our computers are living an average of 2-3 years and are usually either disposed of improperly or stored in a closet. i find that a lot of people have a problem throwing something so valuable ‘to them’ away. it is estimated that 1/3 of american households have obsolete computers in their closets. i have no problem seeing the difficulty in throwing out something that was cutting edge and cost at least $1,000 only two years ago, not to mention the dense heavy metal contents.
all of the fans and power supply boxes are recycled from outdated computers. i actually prefer calling it ‘upcycling’ as i have increased the value of the materials by transforming it into art. i am interested in the history of each disassembled computer. especially the history of its value. in only two years a computer’s value decreases from ~$1,200 to -$20. in most states it cost around $20 to recycle electronic waste properly, which explains the exponential growth of electronic waste in landfills. e-waste is growing more than three times faster than municipal waste. it is worth noting winthrop’s additional devotion to recycling and creative reuse of municipal and hazardous waste.

i would like to personally thank winthrop for providing the electronic materials and resources for not only this project but also the previous three semesters. winthrop’s gracious cooperation has been essential to my work’s creation and success. i would also like to thank Smith’s Scrap Yard for furnishing the metal racks that underpin each element of the piece.

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