THE PERFECT DESIGN STORM
How does an artist present a negative object that’s also a thing of beauty? How does an artist make something interesting to look at that will also create alarm? In the workshop The Future of Energy Design Storm at the Center of Contemporary Art’s Tank Garage Galleries (1050 Old Pecos Trail, 505-982-1338) at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 27, event leaders from disciplines as various as engineering, architecture, and the arts hope to engage the public in a discussion about renewable energy around Santa Fe. The approach they’ll use is based on the Stanford University “d. school” program, which assumes that “radical collaboration” leads to creative thinking and a healthy respect for risk and failure when trying to solve real-world problems.
The workshop leaders, who have each explored complex methods behind visual spectacle, will invite ideas about methods of drawing attention to building a more sustainable future. Andrea Polli has exhibited everywhere from the cold, windy continent of Antarctica (through a soundscape broadcast and visual installation) to the busy streets of Philadelphia (through a light exhibit projecting air quality information on a city street in real time). Now she joins Madeline Bolding, a geneticist and outreach specialist, in bringing a distinctive form of science communication to CCA.
Reservations for this free event can be made at www.designstorm .brownpapertickets.com; tickets are available the day of the event at the CCA box office. Organizers advise that seats are limited and encourage participants to arrive expecting to engage in the full two-hour workshop.
Polli and Bolding will host an additional free event, Sonaqua, about turning data into sound in an exploration of water management, at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 28. This function will be held at their Biocultura project space (1505 Agua Fría St.), with parking at Larragoite Park. Visit www.bioculturasantafe.com for tickets. — Patricia Lenihan