Cairn Trough
The “cairn” (often used to mark a mountain summit) constructed of compressed earth blocks – instead of rocks – is a connection to the mountains – our water source. The curved steel plane with central trough creates a gesture of water collection and harvesting. While the installation is most functional during or after a rain, the gesture at its core is very much alive even when it is dry. Located at the Albuquerque Open Space Visitors Center.
A Drop of Water
The ostensible function of this installation is to keep a small amount of water in a depression on the upper surface of a boulder. Adjacent to the boulder is a vertical construction which supports a small steel tank containing tap water. A solar panel provides power for a network of electrical devices – sensors, valves, actuators – that are managed by a microcontroller. Two ounces of water can be released from the tank onto the boulder by the viewer by pressing a button on the Control Panel if rock is dry. On a regular schedule, a sensor mounted to the tap water tank will check the status of the pocket on the rock and if it is dry, it will activate the release of two ounces of water onto the rock. This work responds to environmental conditions and its construction makes use of salvage industrial materials as well as natural materials. These contrasting materials echo a theme of urban ecology – technology and biology intertwined. This artwork was exhibited at the Santa Fe Railyard Park.