photo by Paolo Bona
For Milan 2010 David Trubridge has created a new installation based on the story of Icarus, to be shown at the ‘Temporary Museum for New Design’, in Superstudio Piú, Zona Tortona.
The installation is made up of three Wing forms spiraling around Sola, a Sun form, accompanied by our well-known Coral light.
Last year he told the Maori story of ‘The Three Baskets of Knowledge’.
This year he has followed it up by illustrating the dual nature of this knowledge. Who hasn’t stood on a cliff-top and longed to leap off, soaring effortlessly? Flight has forever been mankind’s ultimate dream. That dream is both a physical escape from the bondage of gravity, and a metaphorical liberation from the body’s earthly desires.
We can now fly, whether it is in a jet, a hang-glider or a squirrel suit. But has this technical achievement granted us enrichment or just adrenalin rush? We suggest that such technical advances are insufficient on their own without greater wisdom. Like Icarus, we could be carried away and fly too close to the sun, lose our wings and perish.
New Zealand used to be inhabited solely by birds – there were no mammals. In Maori mythology birds are the ‘Kaitiaki’ the original guardians. All-seeing, they glide freely over the land keeping watch. They are the intermediaries with the sky, the heavens and the gods. We are now the guardians of our planet which is threatened by the heat of the sun. We must not lose our aspirations but use our knowledge wisely for the benefit of all. The ability to fly is not enough – it is what we do with it that matters. Borne by our wings, we can spread our knowledge for all, rather than flying off alone too high.
The installation is a series of uplifting, wing or feather-like light forms that seem to either spiral upwards or downwards. They are designed to help the spirit soar, but also to cause reflection on our place in the world.
Like last year, this presentation will create minimal environmental impact. There will be NO freight – our entire display will be carried in our luggage and assembled on site. Using LED lights our stand’s power consumption will be less than 5 kilowatts per day compared to a neighbouring average of 500 kilowatts last year.
ENVIRONMENTAL PHILOSOPHY
