Invasive / Beauty (Series Four)
Eguchi Associates Landscape Architects/ bREAL art + design
www.bREAL.ca
Concept Statement 2010 April 03
- Temporary Installation
- Date: April 23 to May 2, 2010
- Media: 4 mm Coroplast
- Venue: Art of the Danforth (art walk/festival along Danforth Avenue between Greenwood Avenue and Woodbine Avenue)
The project was develo
ped with the initial intent to help create a continuity of experience for Art of the Danforth (2010) in a simple and economical format. It includes a series of words and imagery strategically placed to provide visual continuity in a coherent, meaningful pattern.
In response to the many pigeons observed in the area, the project grew into The Pigeon Paradigm Project and suggests a new critical pattern of thinking in the context of our increasingly urbanized planet. It recognizes that the Rock Dove and similar species that adapt well to the city environment, must play an important role in connecting city dwellers to nature and in so doing, promote greener lifestyles.
The wild Rock Dove or Pigeon (Columba livia) and its feral derivatives are like people: they thrive in cities around the world. We are fortunate to have them as an integral part of Art of the Danforth.
This project responds to the Art of the Danforth theme “What is this place?” We see the Danforth Avenue project area, and its genius loci, as the unique flow and fluid balance of people, plants, animals and place through time…and much more. We understand this place as a sequence of integral relationships that have and do exist, whether they are harmonious or discordant.
The project celebrates cultural and natural history, asking us to remember the vibrant life that has existed along this portion of Danforth Avenue and before. It also compels us to observe and to be mindful of the diversity of life that exists in this location at this present time.
The Pigeon Paradigm Project encourages us to embrace the beauty and messiness or awe of the wild within the controlled city environment; to celebrate the co-existence of all living beings in community; to promote ecological activities such as urban agriculture and to celebrate the prolific pigeon that reminds us of our own success as an adaptive species.
Pigeons can provide a critical, daily, intimate connection to the external processes of our biological context. They have the potential to promote a reverence for nature that is essential to our sustainable future.
Note: The project takes its cue, in part, from “The Pigeon Paradox: Dependence of Global Conservation on Urban Nature”, a paper published in “Conservation Biology, Volume 20, No. 6, December 2006”.
About the process: Cutting the Coroplast 2010 April 17
Part of our work includes the joy or working with great people and exploring new techniques for creating projects.
Due to the extensive volume of cutting, it was not feasible to cut the Coroplast (corrugated plastic), the primary material for our project, by hand, so we explored waterjet cutting.
For The Pigeon Paradigm project, we were fortunate to have Accents of Distinction, www.accentsofdistinction.com assist with the fabrication. After our initial meeting with the very thoughtful team at Accents of Distinction, we worked with our Photoshop imagery in Adobe Illustrator and ultimately in AutoCAD as they recommended.
Accents of Distinction took our files and while quickly transferring them into their cadcam program, the project was being cut almost simultaneously.
Accents of Distinction is a manufacturing company that combines the precision of computerized waterjet cutting with the versatility to incorporate a variety of materials or substrates, such as natural stone, porcelain or a variety of metals in virtually any thickness.
The company’s services include laser cutting and I might add that their team is passionate about helping customers solve problems that are unique to each project. Their clients include architects and other designers and builders. In addition, while many companies shy away from demanding and finicky artists, Accents of Distinction enjoys using their own brand of creativity in helping artists turn ideas into reality. The local and international art projects they have worked on and the prominent artists they have assisted over many years, is a testament to their passion and support of the arts and other cultural initiatives.
Thank you Accents of Distinction!
Real and Barbara Eguchi
