Render of the artist’s colony.
Fish and coral have a symbiotic mutualistic relationship: two organisms of different species work together, with each benefiting from the relationship.
The relationship of humans to the natural world is that of amensalism, where one is harmed while the other is unaffected. Therefore, we find that a symbiotic mutualistic relationship between humans and the natural world would be best for all that exists on earth in the long run.
To help rid of significance applied by humans to material possessions (which seems to cause destruction in nature), an artist colony that serves to bring the perspective of a human to that of a fish will remind the human of the importance of a symbiotic relationship for the survival of both species, as well as remind the human of a simple existence without preconceived signs of perception, which limit psychic autonomy. Artists will explore a realm of which they leave their bodies in essence (a world of language, ideological imprints, signs) to create.
Rendering of the exterior of the artist’s colony.
Particularly the type of artist this colony targets are conceptual artists, for example, Joseph Kosuth.
Conceptual art is based on the notion that the essence of art is an idea, or concept, and may exist distinct from and in the absence of an object as its representation.
“The ‘value’ of particular artists after Duchamp can be weighed according to how much they questioned the nature of art.” – Joseph Kosuth, conceptual artist
Probing the condition of art, the commodification of art, Kosuth challenged language in a Derridean sense — how signs explain what a thing is and how pre-conceived notions and conceptions fabricate the material world.
The 16′ x 24′ artist colony is placed in a pit that is 9′ deep in silo city, drawing from a site of de-industrialization. The concept of umwelt surfaces through the anemone shape of the exterior, a transparent platform of a floor with a three-foot environment for coral and fish below it, and a moving sea anemone-like wall dividing the space.
Below I have provided plans and a prototype for this sea anemone-like wall.
The sea anemone-like wall shown in plan within this exploded composite drawing.
Section showing the 16′ length side.
Section cut at the 24′ length portion, through the sea anemone-like wall.
Plan showing the sea anemone-like wall.
Roof plan
Setup
prototype – side
prototype – top