Our societies have a discordant
relationship with radiation technology.
We heavily rely on nuclear fission as a
source of power, and use ionising radiation
within medicine.
The risks of using nuclear power are great
but the consequences of a disaster are dire.
The 1986 disaster at Chernobyl created a
nuclear wasteland around the power plant
in Ukraine that was deemed an uninhabitable
zone. Whilst clad in protective suits,
researchers monitoring the area reported a
kind of paradise surrounding the plant.
Lush fruit trees grow in the deserted town
of Pripyat and animal life is flourishing.
The deadly radiation is only detectable
with specialist equipment or by
observing the mutated flora and fauna.
With this piece i wanted to explore how
radiation mutates cells and distorts the
fabric and function of them. I distorted
the shapes I constructed with, trying to
create awkwardness by squaring off
curves and squashing the hand built
clay girders.
The mood of the piece was inspired by
the by the German electro music group
Kraftwerk in their song Radioactivitat that
appeared on their 1975 album of the
same name. Its melancholic tones
suggest something of the uncomfortable
relationship we have with something
that is integral to how we live our lives
but incredibly volatile.
