[ISEA2017] : Artist Statement: Daniel Miller — Gradual Slip

Artist Statement 

INSTALLATIONS

In Gradual Slip, a peristaltic pump drips water onto thermal electric cooling plates (TEC) to form mini “glaciers”. After a time of buildup the system shuts down and the plates role rapidly reverses. The plates heat up and the ice slides off onto a tray of dirt and seed. From this point the seeds grow into grass flourishing in the melt water or drying out in its absence. Here the natural element is coping with artificial stresses that are introduced by anthropomorphic forces. The natural environment has evolved into a system in equilibrium. In ecosystems there is a threshold, a limit where the system can no longer function when pushed beyond this boundary. Gradual slip acts as a model of a natural system, exploring this boundary, opening itself up for a dialogue around climate change.

  • Daniel Miller, Assistant Professor, University of Iowa, USA. danmillerart.com