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Domestic Wind Tunnel 1999 – 2000 (Prototype)

A model of a device that subverts and maximises a seemingly passive domestic garden tool. The blower leaf mulcher used en masse around the modern gardens of the world to produce tiny storms and violent clean ups of garden detritus and often vital life sustaining forms such as ants and also dead leaves usable for compost.

“ I thought about the electricity being consumed and the noise, the violence occurring at a micro level when these things are used. The total absurdity of a modernist device doing what a rake and an average persons body are quite capable of performing. A high impact tool, to perform such a simple task as cleaning up leaves – yet from an ants perspective, perhaps something very violent.”

The work is part of a series dealing with methods of climatic control and suburban order (air conditioning, etc, and the machinery of Modernism ) The blower is activated by a motion sensor and pressure pad which engage as soon as someone enters the tunnel.

Once a person enters the tunnel the fun fair like ride turns the violence of suburban gardening activities back onto the perpetrators.

Materials:
Cardboard, gaffer tape, 1400watt garden blower/ mulcher, pine, rubber, acrylic, sensor pressure pad, aluminium, parasite multisensor switch ©, Air, 240 w tungsten light globe, wiring & plug.

Unique

Dimensions: 3500mm x 2500mm