A poetic wake up call about climate change and environmental racism, WAKE was commissioned on the occasion of All Over The Place, a retrospective of the work of conceptual artist Mel Chin.
The artwork was modeled after the 19th century Swedish opera singer Jenny Lind, who took the USS Nightingale to cross the Atlantic. At times, the ship was used to carry guns and enslaved people from Africa to the States. The project re-surfaced the racist and extractive capitalistic origins of New York City’s history as a center of trade, commerce, and tourism. The large-scale animatronic sculpture was accompanied by an on-site AR component and was presented in the heart of Times Square.
Fabricated in partnership with the University of North Carolina, Asheville, WAKE was co-presented by the Queens Museum, No Longer Empty, and Times Square Arts. All Over The Place was curated by Laura Raichovic and Manon Slome.
The artwork was modeled after the 19th century Swedish opera singer Jenny Lind, who took the USS Nightingale to cross the Atlantic. At times, the ship was used to carry guns and enslaved people from Africa to the States. The project re-surfaced the racist and extractive capitalistic origins of New York City’s history as a center of trade, commerce, and tourism. The large-scale animatronic sculpture was accompanied by an on-site AR component and was presented in the heart of Times Square.
Fabricated in partnership with the University of North Carolina, Asheville, WAKE was co-presented by the Queens Museum, No Longer Empty, and Times Square Arts. All Over The Place was curated by Laura Raichovic and Manon Slome.
Wake, 2018. Wood, steel, fiberglass, electronic and mechanical components, paint. 24H x 34W x 60L feet.
Sketch by Mel Chin, 2018.
Sketch by Mel Chin, 2018.