1 + 1 = one 2006
recycle + renew + restore
July 29 & 30 + August 5 & 6 + August 12 & 13
open from 12 noon until 8 pm CDT
LaMaPa LaPrairie Museum & Park
2215 East 350 North
LaPorte, IN 46350
Site 8
Divide and Contain
Michelle Wiser + Debra Sawyer
Artist-formatted statement (50KB PDF)
11 renewed objects
22 memory reflections
Photography: Michelle Wiser
The theme of the biennial 1+1 = one: recycle+renew+restore lead us on a journey through the memories of a 150 year-old farm. Rummaging through piles of discarded and rusted iron and steel in the form of rebar, angle iron, multiple types of fencing, fence posts and farm implements we began to recognize these objects as a historic tribute to the farm's mainstay of diary cattle and crops. Also we realized that La Prairie farm has always practiced recycling and it contributes to its economy.
The discarded metals and objects we found most intriguing were mangled by the plow, rusted out by weather, or antiquated by more modern implements. The memories inherent in each piece had significant connections to the men and women farmers; to the elements of sun, wind and rain; to animals domestic and wild; to the cyclic aspects of growth and harvest; and to the farm's functional design of division and containment.
Today the farm's long stretches of fields grow and harvest wheat, corn and soybeans. The fields are divided by, and, at the same time, connected by, wide grassy and woodsy paths that also lead to sections of dense woods, overgrown pasture and several pond meadows. We designed and placed our renewed objects and farm reflections along these paths to signify the notion of "Divide and Contain," — and to call out the farm's industry and life as a continuous and integral dance with nature.
In order of appearance
Renewed object installations
Memory reflections
11 renewed objects
22 memory reflections
Photography: Michelle Wiser
The theme of the biennial 1+1 = one: recycle+renew+restore lead us on a journey through the memories of a 150 year-old farm. Rummaging through piles of discarded and rusted iron and steel in the form of rebar, angle iron, multiple types of fencing, fence posts and farm implements we began to recognize these objects as a historic tribute to the farm's mainstay of diary cattle and crops. Also we realized that La Prairie farm has always practiced recycling and it contributes to its economy.
The discarded metals and objects we found most intriguing were mangled by the plow, rusted out by weather, or antiquated by more modern implements. The memories inherent in each piece had significant connections to the men and women farmers; to the elements of sun, wind and rain; to animals domestic and wild; to the cyclic aspects of growth and harvest; and to the farm's functional design of division and containment.
Today the farm's long stretches of fields grow and harvest wheat, corn and soybeans. The fields are divided by, and, at the same time, connected by, wide grassy and woodsy paths that also lead to sections of dense woods, overgrown pasture and several pond meadows. We designed and placed our renewed objects and farm reflections along these paths to signify the notion of "Divide and Contain," — and to call out the farm's industry and life as a continuous and integral dance with nature.
In order of appearance
Renewed object installations
- Avian prefab 1
Oil can and bird nest - Upper nest
Hemp, beads and fence piece - Containment whirlygig
Mangled steel, sheepskin, barbed wire, electric fence insulators and cow bones - Pump boy
Water pump and lifejacket - Backscratching cow mama
Cow backscratcher, plastic and metal fencing, cow watering piece, other ornaments - Post bent to the sound of the wind
Steel post, weedwacker string - All weatherman
Angle iron triangle, other iron, plow disk, rebar, weedwacker string, guitar strings. - Avian prefab II & III
Oil cans and bird nests - Cornbridge
Hay feeder with corn shoot and reflectives
Memory reflections
- House 'capital scroll' detail
- Fence gate detail
- Shack I
- Shack II
- Shack teardown
- Bird nests
- Electric fence insulator
- Aerial view of upper nest (ropescape)
- Pipeline warning
- Backscratching cow mama
- Wheat field
- Single wheat
- Stringing patterns for "All weatherman"
- Fence ratchet
- Mushrooms
- Redwood
- Deer stand in the woods
- Pond I
- Pond II
- Fencing detail
- Bridge ahead
- Bridge reflections on the farm