H2O: The Art of Conservation exhibition in San Diego

Fourteen local artists were given a water-saving mission: create a site-specific sculpture that makes water conservation sexy (or at least aesthetically pleasing).

The resulting works of art will be on display at the opening of H2O: The Art of Water Conservation exhibition at The Water Conservation Garden in El Cajon from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 7. The project is a result of the joint effort of the San Diego Fine Art Society, The Water Conservation Garden and was curated by Rebecca Ansert of Green Public Art.

I talked to Ansert and Neal Bociek, one of the artists in the show:

The Artist

Kinsee Morlan: Tell me about the piece you created for H2O.

Neal Bociek: It is part of a new body of work entitled Clear, which is a series of kinetic sculptures combining the harshness of metal with the delicate nature of glass and water. Although the sculpture is fun and colorful, at its core, Clear is about protection and preservation of water, our most precious natural resource.

KM: This is a site-specific sculpture and you specialize in site-specific work, right?  How much did the landscape play into the creative process for this piece and how did it it end up shaping things?

NB: Yes, site-specific projects inspire both [Tiffany, my wife and partner in Bociek & Bociek] and I. The location, at first glance, is maybe not the most spectacular, but something about it caught my collaborator's attention and that was the spectacular view that could be seen of the horizon just through a fairly small clearing. It was this window or portal that inspired the sculpture. The two circles balance ever so gently move past one another and, at moments, bring a focal point directly aimed at this picturesque scene. It is basically a visual funnel to focus on beauty that might otherwise just be passed by.

KM: Has this experience made you think about involving more environmental practices  in your work and/or life?

NB: I will be incorporating a rain barrel or two on my property and have changed my green lawn into a low-water-use edible landscape.

For the most part, other than emphasizing playfulness, motion and energy, our works deal with conservation of water and explore and hopefully inspire alternative and creative ways of traveling like my series of sculptures along the coastline from Pacific Beach to La Jolla entitled "Landsailers".

KM: What do you hope people take away from seeing your piece and the rest of the work in the H2O: The Art of Conservation?

NB: Every drop counts, every effort counts, just being aware of a problem usually can improve a problem or problems. 

KM: Is there anything you want to add?

I have been donating sculptures and paintings to the Surfrider foundation for six years for their annual art auction and Art Gala held this year on May 19 at the pumphouse in Del Mar.  I enjoy the ocean and clean water and have become very disappointed to hear about sewage spills, oil slicks, street run off, trash, trash, and more trash. I'm happy to help people that are serious about making healthy changes.

The Curator

Kinsee Morlan: You had over a thousand artists' portfolios to look over. You settled on just 14 artists. What were you looking for exactly?

Rebecca Ansert: This exhibition was a great challenge for me. I must admit that I was not very familiar with the San Diego art scene before I was commissioned to curate this show. I did not set out to review so many portfolios but realized it was important to do so in order to bring together a strong group of artists for the exhibition. I was overwhelmingly impressed with the level of artistic talent in the San Diego art scene.

During my search, I was seeking artists who were environmentally minded; in concept, material choice and/or aesthetic. I wanted to find artists who were already working in this vein but I was also interested in challenging artists whose practice I believe could be pushed into this direction. It was important for me to find artists who were working on a scale that would be appropriate for the outdoor exhibition space and ultimately a collector’s home garden. I selected the 14 artists to participate in the exhibition based on the quality of their past work. The exhibition includes recycled, re-purposed and natural materials; artists with a range of experience (emerging to mid-career); and approaches—formal, kinetic, interactive, functional and whimsical.

KM: And how important was it that the work be site-specific?  Do the various sites present different challenges/opportunities for the artists?  How well do you think they responded to their specific settings?

RA: The exhibition challenges 14 established and emerging San Diego artists to reflect on water conservation, to consider the natural context in which the artwork is being created and to explore working with recycled, re-purposed or non-traditional materials. The theme of the exhibition revolves around the concepts of water conservation, sustainability and environmentalism. Each artist was asked to create a new unique artwork to relate to the Water Conservation Garden’s mission, “promoting water conservation in the Southern California landscape through excellent programs and exhibits that educate and inspire the public.”

Artists were awarded mini-grants by Green Public Art to develop their concepts into sculptures for the exhibition. In January 2011 the fourteen artists meet at the Water Conservation Garden (WCG) for a tour of the grounds with Marty Ebhardt, Executive Director, WCG, Paul Redecker, Horticulture & Facilities Manger, WCG, April Game, Executive Director, SDFAS and [me], Founder & Principal, Green Public Art. Artists were given the opportunity to ask questions about foliage colors, visibility, and technical concerns before choosing which site they would respond to. The WCG is arranged in distinctive demonstration areas so most artists chose the in-between spaces to highlight their individual perspectives. Each artist has responded to the challenge of the exhibition in various degrees. I am enthusiastic to see the work installed and how it will transform The Garden for the next six months.

KM: Describe a few of the projects that you're most excited about.

RA: Matthew Hebert – Special Deliveries

Matthew Hebert is recognized for repurposing materials, incorporating technology and animating his sculptures. Special Deliveries is a delightful series of three rural curbside mailboxes which encompass solar-powered mechanical sculptures hidden within. To activate the work, viewers will look through a peephole and lower the mailbox flag. The interiors feature unique dioramas depicting historic moments in various water-reclamation projects including the construction of the Hoover Dam, the accidental creating of the Salton Sea, and the attack on the Los Angeles Aqueduct in the Owens Valley.

Bociek & Bociek – Clear

Neal and Tiffany Bociek, a charming husband and wife artist team, has combined the delicate nature of glass and water with the durability of metal in their kinetic sculpture titled Clear. The work is a conceptual interpretation about the conservation of water, a fragile glass vessel, filled with clear water sways like a pendulum beneath a framed viewpoint of the distant vista. Together, the glass and pendulum convey a subtle statement that one false move or misjudged act can chatter and deplete the crucial resource of water. 

Collective Magpie - greenlight

M.R. Barandas and Tae Hwang form the interdisciplinary art team called Collective Magpie. Their sculptural series, greenlight, is made from lumber salvaged from city water tanks, light bulbs and plant clippings collected from the San Diego public. Students from the urban ecology and media arts classes at High Tech High have been involved in the development, fabrication and installation of the project.

KM: What real-world effects are you hoping this exhibition has on the general public?

AS: I hope the exhibition ignites a conversation in the general public about the importance of water in the Southern California landscape and how art can be used to as a way for all ages to enter into that conversation.