Art + Science = Energy Awareness

  Two groups use art and science to promote awareness of renewable energy

Story by Tiffany Richards

Photos courtesy of Steven Leibman

Non-renewable resources such as coal, oil and natural gas are limited. To many, the world without these resources is almost unimaginable. Yet, The Energy Project Vermont hopes to bring awareness and truth about what we can do for resources.

It started from an idea for a partnership and grew into something bigger. BCA (Burlington City Arts) had an exhibition at the fire house called “Human = Nature” which sparked an interest for a mission.

“People have discussions about wind power and don’t like it being in their backyard.”

“Our goal is to get people to think about our world and to think about our future without fossil fuels,” Eric Ford, marketing director of BCA, says. “Ultimately, we hope to think about what the future might look like with different types of energy.” 

EPV is a partnership between BCA and ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center.The two groups are not trying to educate; they’re trying to get people to think. “People have discussions about wind power and don’t like it being in their backyard,” Ford says. These organizations are ready to stop people from talking about renewable energy and start thinking about it. “What we’re trying to do is approach this in a different way.”

“The initiative offers the opportunity for Vermonters to visit both ECHO and BCA in order to experience numerous, innovative ways to approach the wind topic and our energy choices,” Steven Leibman says, ECHO director of Marketing and Communications.

The two groups have a unique partnership in which they share responsibilities regarding every aspect to the project, he says.

EPV has exhibits, panels, speakers and activities for guests. Some of what they include is ECHO‘s panel discussion about wind energy with meteorologist Gib Brown from WPTZ News Channel 5 and David Blittersdorf, founder of NRG Systems. In six different planned sessions, BCA has artists discuss their visions and connections of art and science on subjects of energy and aesthetics in the Firehouse Center in Vermont.

“The impressive living body of light provokes a deeper perspective of the wind as it passes by.”

The project started in May with ECHO’s most famed exhibit “EPV: WIND: Power & Play.” Guests can see wind in action as they learn how to fly kites, and they can feel the power of 78 mph winds in The Category One Hurricane Simulator.

One of BCA’s most popular exhibits is “Human = Landscape: Aesthetics of a Carbon Constrained Future.” This exhibit featured work from various artists in the Firehouse Center and in City Hall Park from August 14 to October 24.

The “Windmill Project” was also a part of this exhibit. Artist Patrick Marold built 1,000 8-foot windmills at Technology Park. “The Windmill Project was developed out of my desire to map and watch the wind harnessing its behaviors,” Marold says on his website. A gentle breeze would create a dim glow and strong wind would create throbbing waves of light. “The impressive living body of light provokes a deeper perspective of the wind as it passes by,” he says.

The EPV partnership isn’t spreading awareness alone. UVM (The University of Vermont) also has a part in this project. On Sept. 21, the university hosted a lecture called “The Future of Food in a Peak Oil World.” Their speaker was renowned journalist Paul Roberts who discussed global solutions for safe food production in a world of low oil resources and a growing world population.

These two groups are striving for an effort to make renewable resources an idea that can expand rather than do nothing. “EPV is an initiative to present the public information on Vermont's energy choices through the special lens of art and science, with the goal of inspiring community dialogue,” he says. “Vermonters clearly need and want a place to have dialogue about this important topic.”

How do you feel about renewable resources?