1. [ intelligencearts ]
Time To reflecT
Daisy Dumas finds art and nature
converge in two new London projects
This artist’s impression shows Aluna, a tidal-powered moon clock due to be unveiled in 2012 alongside the Thames
CLoCK WISE
n In a world dictated by clocks and time-keeping, forever. At moon’s movements, its current
and watches, East London artist over 40 metres in diameter – phase and the ebb and flow of
Laura Williams swims against larger than Stonehenge – the the tides. This animation of light
the tide. She sought a slower, five-storey high grand-daddy of is called Alunatime.
more natural way of measuring lunar monuments is made up The project’s benefactors hope
time. “How can we help people of three static concentric rings that after it opens in 2012 Alu-
to slow down enough to connect of glowing recycled glass. They na’s gentle grace and sweeping
with each other and the Earth?” represent three distinct cycles: ribbons of light will reconnect
Williams’ answer, inspired by the lunar month, the lunar day generations to come with the
the Kogi people of Colombia, and the tide. Earth’s natural rhythms and to
was Aluna, the world’s first tidal Fiendish algorithms control its life, culture and biodiversity.
© AlunA limited, imAge mArk gleAn
-powered moon clock. the flow of illumination, pow- “We’re rushing on the way to
Eight years and £1.8 million ered by tidal energy, so that a nowhere,” says Williams. “Aluna is
later (with a further £4 million full moon is artistically cap- about looking up, looking around
needed), the Aluna project looks tured as a fully-lit outer ring. So and seeing a bigger picture.”
set to transform a bedraggled by looking at how each ring is alunatime.org
stretch of Greenwich riverfront illuminated, you can follow the continued on page 99 ➤
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2. [ intelligencearts ]
BAT CHAT
n It pays to protect our bat
populations – as bio-indicators,
their population strength mimics
the health of our environment.
Most of Britain’s 17 species of
bats are under pressure but
“ Bats are beautiful
Jeremy deller, memory Bucket 2003, originAlly commissioned By Art PAce sAn Antonio, courtesy of the Artist And Art concePt, PAris And the modern institute/toBy weBster ltd, glAsgow; teri Pengilley (BAt house); hugh clArk/BAt conservAtion trust (BAt)
now, at the Wildfowl & Wetlands
Trust’s London Wetland Cen- creatures … capable
tre at Barnes, welcome respite of living in great
comes in the shapely form of the numbers together in
brand new bat haven, a project relative peace “
initiated by an artist. Jeremy Deller, artist
Jeremy Deller won the 2004
Turner Prize with Memory
Bucket, which included film of
three million bats swooping out
of a Texas cave. He was inspired
by how some Texans are helping tion students Jorgen Tandberg “We’re breaking new ground to
bats by making artificial roosts and Yo Murata uses natural some extent,” says Richard Bull-
and decided to import and ex- materials that allow the building ock of the Wetland Centre, who
pand the idea, with a bat house to ‘breathe’, trap heat and ac- has watched the project grow
designed and built to specifica- commodate as many species and from day one. “It builds a bridge
tions a bat ‘client’ would choose. roosting habits as possible. between design, architecture,
Says Deller: “They are beauti- The Berkeley Bat House arts and wildlife.”
ful creatures … capable of living throws clean, sleek design and Bullock is now watching the
in great numbers together in cutting-edge technology into an house closely for any signs of
relative peace.” unfamiliar context at the marshy contentedly roosting mothers –
Deller and his partners ran a wildlife sanctuary – all under- surely no better accolade for the
competition and the winning standable given its genesis from success of architecture in nature.
design by Architectural Associa- an artist’s work. bathouseproject.org
Jeremy Deller won the 2004
Turner Prize for Memory Bucket,
featuring footage of bats swoop-
ing in Texas (above); the award-
winning Berkeley Bat House at
London’s Wetland Centre (left)
www.greennAtgeo.co.uk | 99