Big Bambú is a continually growing and changing sculpture that will be constructed during the run of the installation from thousands of fresh-cut bamboo poles—a complex network of 5,000 interlocking 30- and 40-foot-long bamboo poles, which will be lashed together with 50 miles of nylon rope. Doug Starn states: “The reason we had to make it so big is to make all of us feel small—or at least to awaken us to the fact that individually we are not so big. Once we’re aware of our true stature we can feel a part of something much more vast than we could ever have dreamed of before.”
The work will embody a contradictory nature: it is always complete, yet it is always unfinished. Working on the sculpture while the exhibition is open to the public, the artists and teams of rock climbers (six to twenty of whom will be present during different phases of the project) will provide visitors with a rare opportunity to experience their work as it unfolds.
“It is a temporary structure in a sense, but it is a sculpture—not a static sculpture, it’s an organism that we are just a part of—helping it to move along,” said Mike Starn. “We will be constructing a slice of seascape, like our photographs, a cutaway view of a wave constantly in motion—our growth and change remains invariable, it is constant and unchanged.”
This never-resting sculpture will evolve throughout the course of the exhibition: the initial, roughly 30-foot high by 50-foot-wide by 100-foot-long structure will be completed by opening day on April 27; next, the eastern portion of the sculpture will be built up by the artists and rock climbers to an elevation of some 50 feet; and by summer, the western portion of the sculpture will be elevated by the artists and rock climbers to around 40 feet in height. An internal footpath artery system grows within the structure, facilitating the progress of the organism.
The ephemeral state of the work will be documented by the artists in various scale photographs and video.
Month: November 2012
Bamboo
General Uses For Bamboo
Bamboo has been used for eons for many applications, from a food source to a building material. But with the age of modern materials, many people don’t understand the scope of uses for bamboo. The shoots can be picked early for eating, and the wood of older canes can be treated and used as anything from decoration to instruments. Thankfully, many manufacturers have seen all the products that can be made from this highly renewable resource and have begun to utilize bamboo in some fascinating ways.
Decorations
From picture frames to room dividing screens, bamboo can make some elegant and exotic decorations for the home. Depending on the manufacturer, bamboo decorations can be the rough finish of natural bamboo that reminds people of tropical getaways, or the sleek, lacquered finish that creates a modern elegance that many people remember. Bamboo can also be colored so that it can fit into any décor.
Building materials
More and more furniture, flooring, and even homes are being built with bamboo. Whether people like the look of the bamboo, or the way it holds up, it is becoming a more popular building material that many people are recognizing. The smooth floors hold up well in kitchens and other rooms, and the furniture, bound attractively with rattan or leather, gives any room a modern look.
Fabrics and clothing
A fabulous trend right now is bamboo fibers being used in fabrics and clothing. Bedding made of bamboo fibers is as soft as or softer than most cotton beddings, and drapes with the look of silk without the expense. It is becoming a mainstream trend to have bamboo fabric products or clothing, populating many major chain retail stores.
Cooking
Cooking with bamboo is nothing new in Asian culture. Bamboo shoots are a common food in that part of the world, and have also migrated into cooking utensils. Bamboo cutting boards are notoriously good for not dulling blades on knives as quickly, while bamboo utensils like wooden spoons are excellent for not scratching the bottoms of expensive non-stick cookware.
Agriculture
Bamboo started out as a natural plant in most places, but has become a large part of agriculture. From being the main crop of a farm to be harvested for other uses, or as the channel linings for irrigation systems, bamboo fits naturally into agriculture. Of course, bamboo is also grown as a food source, and as a garden plant as well, the woody grass being an excellent addition to any garden.
Weapons
While this is rarely seen any more, bamboo was once used to make many different types of weapons. From blow guns to archery bows and arrows, bamboo made light but strong weapons for many centuries. Though they aren’t used as frequently any more, even gunpowder guns have been made with the hollow tubes.
Instruments
Hollow tubes make excellent instruments, whether it is a flute or a drum, and bamboo is one of the best bases for instruments. The light, durable quality of the bamboo is coupled with its musical potential, and creates some of the most beautiful sounds that music has ever heard.
Of course, these aren’t all the uses for bamboo. There are many other types of products that can be made of bamboo, and all are coming back into their own as bamboo continues to grow more popular in the main stream economy.”
From Bamboogrove.com
History of Photography
History of Cameras and Photography
Although the foundations of photography date back as far as the ancient Romans, the history of cameras starts in the seventeenth century. The history of photography revolves around innovative attempt to reproduce images, whether the attempts were successful or photographic dead ends.
Camera Obscura
The ancient history of photography can be traced back to a device known as the camera obscura. A camera obscura consists of either a dark room or box with a tiny hole at one end. With a small enough hole, an inverted image of what the hole faces appears enlarged on the opposite wall of the camera obscura.
The camera obscura’s ability to reproduce images would become the basis for camera lenses as photography technology advanced. With the advent of the camera obscura, the combination of light and chemical processing also entered the realm of photography. At this point, the history of modern photography and cameras began.
A Brief History of Cameras
French inventor Nicephore Niepce produced the first permanent image in the history of photography. Niepce used a camera obscura and paper coated with photosensitive chemicals. The exposure time necessary to capture this historic first image was a staggering eight hours.Daguerreotype and Calotype Cameras
In 1829, Niepce partnered up with Louis Daguerre. After Niepce’s death in 1833, Daguerre continued the research he and Niepce had begun. Through his continued efforts, Daguerre succeeded in reducing exposure time to a mere half hour. He also discovered that immersing images in salt would render the image permanent. Daguerre named his re-invention of the camera obscura the Daguerreotype and sold the rights to the French government in 1839.“Daguerreomania” exploded in Europe and the U.S, where permanent images on glass and metal became popular. However, while reproducing images with the daguerreotype was popular, this new model could make only one image and not multiple copies.
Even as daguerreotypes became popular, the next step in the history of cameras was already underway. In 1835, Englishman William Henry Fox Talbot created the first paper negative. Nine years later in 1844, Talbot patented the Calotype. Although the Daguerreotype produced better quality images than the Calotype, Talbot’s invention could produce multiple copies from a single negative.
Talbot is also credited with publishing the first photo collection in the history of photography. In 1844, he published a collection of photographs entitled The Pencil of Nature.
The Next Step in the History of Cameras
Because the exposure times for both the Daguerreotype and Calotype were long, faster exposure times were the next step in the history of cameras. This became a reality with Frederick Scott Archer’s Collodion photographs in 1851. The Collodion process reduced exposure time to a mere three seconds.To reduce exposure times, Collodion pictures were processed while the photographic plate was still wet. As a result, large amounts of developing equipment had to be available on location. Dry plate processing wasn’t available until 1871.
Between 1851 and 1871 a number of events occurred in the history of photography:
- 1861: James Clerk-Maxwell creates the first color photography system, using black and white photographs with red, green and blue filters.
- 1861 to 1865: Mathew Brady and his photography staff cover the American Civil war.
- 1877: Edward Muybridge’s pictures of a galloping horse prove that during gallop a horse’s four hooves leave the ground at once. Much money changes hands among San Francisco’s wealthy, who had bet on the outcome.
Dry Plates and Box Cameras
In 1871, Richard Maddox discovered gelatin could be used instead of glass for photographic plates. This step not only allowed for faster development but also paved the way for mass-produced film.George Eastman took the process further and introduced flexible film in 1884. In 1888, Eastman introduced the box camera, the first product in the history of cameras available to the general public.
Since the end of the nineteenth century, photography technology has evolved at a rapid pace. The following are some landmark developments in photography during the 20th century:
- 1907: The first commercial color film is developed.
- 1936: Kodachrome, multi-layered color film, is developed.
- 1937: Photojournalism becomes an important part of reporting WWII news.
The Future of Cameras
The history of cameras and photography is ongoing with new innovations appearing regularly. With the digital camera, amateur and photographer can now take multiple pictures and view them almost instantly. Even underwater cameras are now affordable options for the general public.Innovation and necessity have driven the history of photography and cameras. With the vast knowledge of photographic techniques available today, further innovations can be expected in the future.
Doug and Mike Starn 