The concept for this design is inspired by Midwestern agriculture and how it has shaped our nations capacity to dream big. As a form of transportation, space travel represents the height of human ingenuity. Among the cultural developments bringing us to the space age, agriculture has been especially instrumental. Modern agriculture has brought the proliferation of our food supply, the development of novel chemical compounds, and the advancement of biofuels. While space flight may not play a part in our daily routine, it serves as inspiration for us to reach further with our aspirations and it affirms our ability to succeed. Space exploration has been deeply woven into the narrative of technological progress in post-WWII America. The space race woke the country up to the need for scientists and engineers to be at the head of the world’s innovation curve. The space program, along with other government research laboratories, purchased a large percentage of the early microprocessors, helping push the computer from being an enormous machine that was outside of the reach of all but the wealthiest of individuals, to the point where 85% of Americans own a cellphone. As a country, we overcame the issues of the 20th century with creativity and scientific innovation. Although the Space Shuttle Atlantis completed its final mission on July 21, 2011 and NASA has no firm plans to develop a replacement fleet, we must continue to cultivate the qualities that made the previous century successful.
This work is part of Emerging Terrain's Stored Potential project, which began as a desire to re-purpose the grain elevator at 33rd and Vinton Streets. Emerging Terrain partnered with the elevator owners, city agencies, neighborhood associations and various community organizations to make the project happen. They solicited artists to submit designs addressing the themes of land use, food, and agriculture, a selection of which were printed on polyester mesh banners and installed on the exterior of the elevator silos. Up-lit at night, the banners were viewable to drivers passing on I-80, transforming the derelict structure into a super-size, drive-by art gallery. The project culminated with an outdoor dinner party for 500 people, all of whom were seated at an 800-foot-long table near the base of the installation.
