Public Art
All work © Copyright Alessandra Kelley
 Spiral Chance |
In the summer of 2007 the city of Chicago and the Clinton Global Initiative sponsored "Cool Globes: Hot Ideas for a Cooler Planet", a public art exhibit of giant fiberglass globes painted by Chicago-area artists to present possible solutions to global warming. Over 100 Chicago-area and international artists participated. The globes were just over 1.5m in diameter, raised on a pedestal to be over 2m. My entry, "Spiral Chance", was located at the entrance to Navy Pier. If you're interested in a diary of how the globe was painted, please see"Circumnavigating the Fiberglass Globe" on my weblog, "Confessions of a Postmodern Pre-Raphaelite" |
 Spiral Chance |
"Spiral Chance"'s theme was renewable energy. Its appearance reflects my original focus, wind power, with swirling longitudinal bands suggesting global weather systems. All around the globe are scenes of wind turbines, solar power, and geothermal pumps. The blue and green "windy" bands alternate with grayish-brown bands of wasteful energy use and environmental devastation. |
 Detail of Spiral Chance, showing dirigible airport with plant covered green roofs |
Close observation will also show a bullet train and a plethora of dirigibles and zeppelins, many with solar panels on top. I am fond of airships, and they seemed an interesting way to suggest alternative, energy-saving transportation of the future. |
 Spiral Chance (right) and several other Cool Globes at Navy Pier |
"Spiral Chance" was deliberately painted to look like a gas giant planet, such as Jupiter, when seen from a distance. |
|
"Spiral Chance" was sponsored and ultimately bought by Invenergy LLC, a developer of wind farms and natural gas and solar projects. |
|
 A miniature version of "Spiral Chance" |
I painted a miniature version of "Spiral Chance" for a traveling exhibition. This globe is about 30 cm tall. |
 A miniature version of "Spiral Chance" |
