This Football Stadium Was Transformed Into a Living Forest In Dystopian Future Art Installation
Austria's Wörthersee Football Stadium has a new team on the playing field. Normally packed with up to 30,000 sports fans, the stadium has been transformed into a living forest in an attempt to bring attention to climate change and deforestation.
EcoWatch Daily Newsletter
By Patrick Rogers
"I'm really into trees," said the sculptor Hugh Hayden. "I'm drawn to plants."
Hedges, 2019 © Hugh Hayden
<p>Those illusory houses and their imaginary middle-class occupants, however, are not alone. Sprouting from holes in the walls is a thicket of bare tree branches that appear to colonize the living space. When seen in the mirrors, they form what looks like the world's longest hedgerow.</p>© Hugh Hayden
<p>There's an obvious tension in <em>Hedges</em> between human civilization and untamable wilderness. But Hayden, whose art tends to challenge perceptions of social order and the environment, is also interested in how people use nature as a form of camouflage to mask their differences in order to become part of their communities. "It's the idea of home ownership and being part of the American dream, of having a little house with its own yard — of blending into a landscape that is also a social landscape," he said.</p><p>Hayden mostly uses salvaged wood that he manipulates through carving and juxtaposition. The branches used in <em>Hedges</em> came from a display of Christmas trees that once stood in the median strip of Park Avenue in Manhattan — one of the nation's most pedigreed addresses, he notes — which lends his work an aspirational quality. And due to the mirrors placed around them, viewers cannot avoid encountering their own reflections. The artist said, "They're seeing themselves reproduced in something that is a fantasy. They see how they fit into that American dream."</p>America, 2018 © Hugh Hayden
<p>Hayden, who trained as an architect at Cornell and quit his day job designing in the hospitality industry last year to pursue art full time, has been finding great meaning in the trees that he uses as raw material for his sculptures. In 2018 he traveled to the U.S.–Mexico border and gathered branches of mesquite, a tree that many Texans regard as an undesirable invasive species. "Mesquite trees thrive where other trees can't, on limited resources like water. Given the issue on the border around immigration, I thought of the material as politically charged." Hayden used the thick branches in a sculpture titled <em>America</em>, which takes the form of a kitchen table and chairs, a classic symbol of welcoming and comfort, but with sharp protuberances that discourage gathering.</p><p>On the same Texas trip, the artist paired up with a crew of nursery scouts who buy slow-growing desert palmettos from landowners in the region and then resell them for a profit to wealthy urbanites in Houston. Together they located stands of so-called Texas ebony trees, which have a narrow range of growth in the southern part of the state and in northeastern Mexico. Hayden used the dark brown and blackish wood of the trees' interior in a pair of meticulously rendered sculptures that comment self-reflectively on the experience of young African-American men.</p><p>"To me, that species was like my own identity as a tree," he said. One piece, <em>Crown of Thorns,</em> which was exhibited at Art Basel in Miami Beach last year, was in the shape of a football helmet, with a knot of thorns inside that render it impossible to wear. The other, <em>Oreo, </em>shown at New York's Lisson Gallery, represented a baby's crib also studded with sharp thorns. "I was interested in positioning the imposed expectations of a black man in Texas. I hated playing football, for example, but it was the expectation that I play." As for the crib, its construction brings to mind the neoclassical architecture of a typical Texas courthouse, where, because of <a href="https://www.aclu.org/report/bullies-blue-origins-and-consequences-school-policing" target="_blank">systemic injustices</a>, an African-American man is likely to turn up during the course of his youth.</p>Oreo, 2018 © Hugh Hayden
<p>"I think people could interpret my work as an ad for a group like Greenpeace," Hayden said when asked if he considers himself a part of the environmental movement. "Of course, I am <em>for</em> the environment. But I would say my use of natural material is more an extension of my personal interests," he explained. "I like plants, and I like the idea that I can use something as ubiquitous as trees to change the way that people think."</p><p>Hedges<em> is on view at </em><a href="https://theshed.org/program/76-open-call-hugh-hayden" target="_blank"><em>The Shed in New York City</em></a><em> until August 25.</em></p>Crown of Thorns, 2018 © Hugh Hayden
A good backup generator can help you keep your home running smoothly, even in the event of a major power outage. And, when you choose a solar generator, you can power your home using clean, renewable energy from the sun. By contrast, gas and diesel generators burn fossil fuels, and are extremely loud and spew harmful emissions into the atmosphere. Here are the best solar power generators available today that can provide a cleaner alternative for home generators.
Goal Zero Yeti 6000X
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTc5OTIxMS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY3NDY0MTU0MH0.DESPf736lfPascaXVa9R6mJQNSv5sI8U8yB4gu1tDmM/img.png?width=980" id="534d0" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="832f91baeadf06dc4410b8261cf7ef4a" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="400" data-height="400" />Goal Zero
<p>The <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Portable-Inverter-Generator-Generators-Emergency/dp/B08MBDN4VK" target="_blank">Yeti 6000X</a> is actually a portable power station that can be used for off-grid camping or powering an RV. With 6,000 watt-hours and two 2000W AC charger ports, it will give you plenty of power for your home. With a home integration kit, it's easy to use the Goal Zero Yeti 6000X to power essential circuits.</p><p><strong>Why buy: </strong>Though it isn't exactly cheap, the Yeti 6000X power station is a great all-purpose backup generator, including a top-of-the-line charge controller and two robust AC outlets that make it easy for you to keep your household essentials up and running. It can even power a full-size refrigerator or microwave.</p>Renogy Lycan Powerbox
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTc5OTIwMS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2MTM3NjI1N30.EDSdmpiGcknKhn94YhJLnyJUEn3zxWo9vGzmT2c4Zcs/img.png?width=980" id="0cab1" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="c5c9cd60d3ab98503fd3ad5e32909229" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="400" data-height="400" />Renogy
<p>Renogy produces several different power stations and chargers, but we especially like the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Powerbox-Portable-Outdoor-1075WH-Generator/dp/B01N6BCDZD" target="_blank">Lycan Powerbox</a>, a solar power solution that's only a little bit bigger than a suitcase. It comes with an easy-grip handle and heavy-duty wheels, making it one of the most portable solar generators around while still offering 1200W of output, which is enough power for most electronic devices and some appliances.</p><p><strong>Why buy:</strong> The Lycan Powerbox can provide 1075 watt-hours of continuous power without the noise or fumes associated with gas generators. It offers great portability and includes an LCD display and easy, intuitive controls that allow you to switch between DC power and AC power as needed, as well USB ports and 12 volt car charger ports.</p>Jackery Explorer 1000
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTc5OTE3NS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzMTA3MDIwNX0.bTHIOQjgpXbREPl1C9qHAtcXkJ-uKXhWfNZYoD-bjjA/img.png?width=980" id="e2b71" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="c5f59c32bc198c9ea57ac1c35a25ec4b" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="400" data-height="400" />Jackery
<p>The <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083KBKJ8Q/?tag=best-solar-generator-20" target="_blank">Jackery Explorer 1000 portable power station</a> is one of the best all-around options, equally suited for outdoor activities and for emergency power readiness. Though it's rated for 1,000 watts, it can actually get closer to 2,000. The lithium battery pack offers a capacity of 1,200 watt-hours, and Jackery's professional MPPT technology makes it easy to get your unit fully charged in a relatively short span of time (usually just eight hours if you have two panels going).</p><p><strong>Why buy: </strong>Jackery is one of the leading names in outdoor equipment and in clean energy products. This portable power station is a great pick for campers and can also be a very effective home backup power solution for small appliances and electronics thanks to its pure sine wave inverter AC outlets.</p>Westinghouse iGen600s
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTc5OTE2OC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0Nzg2OTg0Nn0.gQOrdLgsS7ZBw5ccrVoCXHqYvZ5JZIOA282ltOO8kHY/img.png?width=980" id="f5e59" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="369df3dc290b5be3708f7e424b072f4e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="400" data-height="400" />Westinghouse Outdoor Power
<p>Westinghouse is another company that specializes in solar powered generators, most of which are more ideally suited for camping trips. Their <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Westinghouse-iGen600s-Portable-Generator-Lithium-ion/dp/B08SJ8JBBC/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&m=A2MDFVW08TGIW8&marketplaceID=ATVPDKIKX0DER&qid=1614289724&s=merchant-items&sr=1-2" target="_blank">iGen600s</a> portable generator, however, offers a wattage of up to 1,200 peak watts, which can certainly function as a decent emergency backup for certain household appliances and small devices.</p><p><strong>Why buy: </strong>For a portable yet still very versatile solar generator, Westinghouse is a company to keep on your list. The iGen600 power system can run a mini fridge for up to 42 hours or a CPAP machine for up to 46 hours thanks to its lithium-ion battery that offers 592 Watt-hours of energy and a long battery life.</p>EcoFlow DELTA
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTc5OTE2MC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY3NzYzOTAxNn0.ZFdqRPZfKPd_vOGK8FEUVY_3git-ATlmAvKSqQk47aM/img.png?width=980" id="991f2" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="e60ae1ca24865db60be46fe486c9c8a9" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="400" data-height="400" />EcoFlow
<p>The <a href="https://www.amazon.com/EF-ECOFLOW-Portable-Station-Generator/dp/B083FR3762" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">EcoFlow DELTA power station</a> is a wonderfully rugged, dependable backup generator that can help meet your power needs during a blackout. For one thing, the charging time is incredible; you can potentially go from zero to 80 percent in under an hour with a wall outlet. Should you ever find yourself facing a power outage, this is an emergency energy solution you'll be really thankful for.</p><p><strong>Why buy:</strong> The DELTA station from EcoFlow offers a lot of value and usability; in particular, it has one of the fastest recharging times of any solar generator, which may be reason enough for you to choose it over the competitors. The DELTA unit offers 13 ports, meaning it's compatible with pretty much any device or appliance you could ever need to charge.</p>MAXOAK Bluetti AC200P
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTc5OTE1MC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MDEzMjAwNn0.qU0EE--tgolDhaaU-EumYLOs_jtFd9L4SWvDhP4PySk/img.png?width=980" id="aa450" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="7eb54f1dd0974c5fe4a9920bdbfe98c1" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="400" data-height="400" />Bluetti
<p>For a heavy-duty emergency power solution, look no further than to MAXOAK, and particularly to a product called the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/BLUETTI-Portable-Station-Generator-Emergency/dp/B08MZJW9Y5" target="_blank">Bluetti AC200P</a>. With a 2000 Watt-hour capacity, this is one of the most robust solar generators you'll find anywhere.</p><p><strong>Why buy:</strong> MAXOAK's Bluetti AC200P is the one you're going to want for really heavy-duty home energy backup. With massive AC inverters that offer up to 4800W surge capacity, it can provide more than enough power to fuel all your most critical home appliances, even some HVAC units. Also note the two-year warranty, a generous consumer protection.</p>Point Zero Energy Titan Solar Generator
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTc5OTEzMi9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0NjY5NzcwMH0.urU8n-Yghr4O-LzDr_nAath6k8XMFZrCGU5JISwbwp8/img.png?width=980" id="93ad7" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8526191ca3bffa4638b69e80d61809ce" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="400" data-height="349" />Point Zero Energy
<p><a href="https://www.pointzeroenergy.com/product/titan-solar-generator/" target="_blank">Point Zero Energy</a> is one of the foremost names in disaster preparedness, and when you take a look at their product specs, you'll see why. Their Titan model solar generator offers almost twice the storage of similarly priced units with a high-capacity 2,000-watt-hour battery capacity and 3,000 watt high-efficiency inverter.</p><p><strong>Why buy: </strong>On a purely technical level, this is the beefiest generator on our list, though of course, it's also one of the priciest. The unit is made with high-efficiency components, meaning it doesn't waste a lot of energy running the system; instead, it just supplies you with plenty of functional electricity when you need it the most.</p>By Clara Chaisson
Photographer Terry Evans has been piecing together prairies for more than 40 years.
Terry Evans's Ancient Prairies project
<p>Landscape photography was not part of Evans's original plan during her years at the University of Kansas, where she received a BFA in painting. For years the Missouri-born artist drew inspiration from the relationships between people. But a decade after Evans graduated, a friend asked her to capture some images of a virgin prairie not far from Evans's home in Salinas, Kansas. She agreed, and the friendly favor forever changed the trajectory of her career.</p><p>"Suddenly I began to see the ground," <a href="http://www.terryevansphotography.com/project-statements/ancient-prairies" target="_blank">Evans wrote</a> of the experience. "The realization came that I could stand in one spot and look at the ground for at least an hour and still not see everything happening at my feet ... There was a whole cosmology there, and that was fascinating to me."</p><p>The artist's depictions of prairies have traveled far beyond the habitat's natural range in the middle of our continent. Her work has brought the American prairie to the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Smithsonian American Art Museum and more.</p>Terry Evans's Ancient Prairies project
Terry Evans's Ancient Prairies project
<p>Evans's interest in humanity's influence on the environment has also led her to industrial landscapes. Working alongside writer Elizabeth Farnsworth earlier this decade, she <a href="http://www.terryevansphotography.com/petcoke-in-chicago" target="_blank">documented activists fighting to ban petcoke</a> on the Southeast Side of Chicago, the city where she now lives and works. But after spending years working on projects such as <em>Petcoke vs. Grassroots</em>, <a href="http://www.terryevansphotography.com/north-dakota-oil-boom" target="_blank"><em>Fractured: North Dakota's Oil Boom</em></a> and <a href="http://www.terryevansphotography.com/steel-work-production" target="_blank"><em>Steel Work</em></a>, Evans said, "I started having this longing to see some undisturbed prairie again . . . Beauty matters for our spirit."</p><p>When she returned to Fent's Prairie, though, she found that something had changed within her. "I was no longer satisfied with making single images," Evans said. "It seemed like there's so much rich information and wisdom in an untouched or restored ecosystem."</p>Terry Evans's Ancient Prairies project
<p>The name of the series, <em>Ancient Prairies, </em>isn't intended to consign its subject matter to the past. "It's not about nostalgia, and they're not a eulogy of something that's gone," Evans said. "Rather, they're a celebration of life that can still inform us. We need these places as an archive of what an undisturbed ecosystem looks like."</p>- In Nighttime Shots of Massive Wildfires, a Photographer Shows Us ... ›
- Dutch Artist Thijs Biersteker Gives Trees a Voice—in Lights ... ›
Trending
By Clara Chaisson
Dutch interactive artist Thijs Biersteker is something like a real-life Lorax—except instead of speaking for the trees, he equips them with the technology to speak for themselves.
- Banksy's Latest Mural Is a Haunting Take on Air Pollution - EcoWatch ›
- Street Art and Augmented Reality Get Real About Climate in Miami ... ›
Artist Creates Advent Calendar From Beach Trash to Raise Awareness of Ocean Plastics
At least eight million tons of plastic ends up in the world's oceans every year, and some of it washes up on the beautiful pink-sand beaches of Bermuda. But one inventive artist has found a way to turn this tragedy into a unique and educational take on the traditional Advent calendar, CNN reported.
Every day this December, travel photographer Meredith Andrews has been using her Instagram to add a new page to her "Adventgram." Each page photographs a collection of artfully arranged plastic items Andrews has found.
As Miami Battles Sea-Level Rise, This Artist Makes Waves With His 'Underwater Homeowners Association'
By Patrick Rogers
Miami artist Xavier Cortada lives in a house that stands at six feet above sea level. The Episcopal church down the road is 11 feet above the waterline, and the home of his neighbor, a dentist, has an elevation of 13 feet. If what climate scientists predict about rising sea levels comes true, the Atlantic Ocean could rise two to three feet by the time Cortada pays off his 30-year mortgage. As the polar ice caps melt, the sea is inching ever closer to the land he hopes one day to pass on to the next generation, in the city he has called home since the age of three.
The Anthropocene—Coming Soon to a Theater (and Museum, and Bookshelf) Near You
By Clara Chaisson
Anthropocene is a clunky word for an even more unwieldy concept. But props to the Merriam-Webster team who have given us a dictionary definition that's easy enough to follow.
Trending
By Jeremy Deaton
Eighteenth century French choreographer Jean-Georges Noverre once wrote, "A fine picture is but the image of nature; a finished ballet is nature herself." Noverre was arguing for the immediacy of dance. Twenty-first century American choreographer Diana Movius took his words literally.
- Arctic Sea Ice Summer Minimum in 2018 Is Sixth Lowest on Record ›
- Arctic Oil Drilling Project Approved by Trump Administration ›
Update: The window for photo submissions has ended. The winner will be announced this Wednesday, November 21.
EcoWatch is pleased to announce its first photo contest! Show us what in nature you are most thankful for this Thanksgiving. Whether you have a love for oceans, animals, or parks, we want to see your best photos that capture what you love about this planet.
Trending
This Exhibit Examines Nature and Environmental Justice in Three Centuries of American Art
By Patrick Rogers
The fact that nature and nation share a common root—the Latin verb nasci, "to be born"—might rate as trivia to most people. But in the context of early American art, at least, the connection has profound cultural meaning. Paintings of natural vistas, from New York's Hudson Valley to the purple mountains and red deserts of the West, became early symbols of a young nation and its so-called manifest destiny. In the minds of many early Americans and pioneers, the land was out there for "us" (as in, men of European decent) to celebrate—but also to conquer. The very idea of American civilization meant destroying some of those beautiful, natural vistas to build the cities, farms, and factories of the future.
- These Sculptures Help Heal the Planet ›
- Sculptures Under the Sea—and on the Front Lines of Climate Change ›
- Culture Clash: Nature and Civilization Face Off in the Art of Michael ... ›
- Street Art and Augmented Reality Get Real About Climate in Miami ›
Banksy, who infamously shredded his "Girl With Balloon" painting at an auction on Friday, has inspired people to whip up their own versions of the artwork.
The images are centered around a timely and poignant theme: climate change.
- Artists and Activists Rise to Fight Climate Change ›
- Scientists and Art Historians Are Studying Art for Climate Change Clues - EcoWatch ›
- Scientists and Art Historians Are Studying Art for Climate Change Clues ›
Monday marks the start of the 10th annual Climate Week NYC. From Sept. 24 to the 30, non-profit The Climate Group has invited businesses, governments, nonprofit organizations, universities and art and music organizations to host a wide variety of affiliated events devoted to raising awareness and prompting action around climate change.