Future Fossils Art, Precious Plastics Lab Raise Water Stewardship Awareness

The Lakes Area Precious Plastics Lab and Springboard for the Arts have concluded their public showing of “Future Fossils,” a temporary land art project that is one of dozens across the Upper Midwest participating in the initiative, 4Ground: Midwest Land Art Biennial.

The project was designed to raise awareness around important land and water issues affecting the region.  The project involved a set of three temporary art installations designed and created by local artists in the Lakes Area Precious Plastics Lab that were displayed along the Fergus Falls Riverwalk (Minnesota) between June 30 and September 1, 2022.

Featured Artists were Nancy X. Valentine (Fergus Falls), Chelsey Beilhartz (Fergus Falls), Laura Youngbird (Breckenridge), Katy Olson (Fergus Falls), Erik Peterson (Alexandria), Jess Torgerson (Fergus Falls), and Erika Frikken (Elbow Lake).

Each site, was located between Court and Cascade Streets along the Fergus Falls downtown Riverwalk where residents and visitors walk daily.  One of the project’s intentions was to consider our collective responsibilities to the land and to one another going forward.

Furthermore, the upcycled plastic debris sculptures, which include depictions of both real and mythical creatures, were intended to create an element of mystery and surprise along the Riverwalk, and encourage reflection and conversation about our relationships with each other, fossil fuels and accountability.

“We’re were thrilled for the opportunity to host this project, to engage with local artists around our relationship to the land, and invite people to reflect on the impacts our overuse of plastic has on our landscape, our bodies, and our future.” said Cedar Walters, Public Information and Education Officer at Otter Tail County Solid Waste, who started the Precious Plastics Lab two years ago, the first of its kind in Minnesota.

“With the opening of Fergus Falls’ new riverfront market, and celebrations for Fergus Falls’ 150th birthday that took place this summer, we were excited to support the voices of these local artists, who are bringing up profound questions about how stewardship of our natural resources fits into the conversations about Fergus Falls’ past and future,” said Michele Anderson, Rural Director at Springboard for the Arts. “It’s also so exciting to be part of the larger story that 4Ground artists are telling through the projects that are happening across the upper Midwest. We’re honored to have been invited by Franconia Sculpture Park to be part of this transformative and powerful public art event.”

About the Lakes Area Precious Plastics Lab

The Lakes Area Precious Plastic Lab was established at the Otter Tail County Recycling Center in fall of 2020. Precious Plastic is an open source global community of innovators who enable others to participate in local grassroots recycling by transforming ordinary plastic items into useful products or art.

 

About 4Ground Land Art Biennial

Developed by Franconia Sculpture Park Executive Director & Chief Curator in collaboration with more than 20+ community partners including tribal organizations, art museums, and land conservationists, 4Ground is a far-reaching initiative spanning the Upper Midwest, designed to raise awareness around important land and water issues affecting the region while celebrating the art, land and history of the rural Midwest and boosting tourism of the region through suggested road trips to experience site-specific land art.

For more information, follow 4GroundBiennial.org via web or Instagram at @4GroundBiennial.

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Sponsors, Music and Other Show Notes 

Studio Sponsor: The Industrial Forest

The Industrial Forest is a network of environmentally minded and socially conscious businesses that are using industrial innovations to build a network of sustainable forests across the United States.

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Weekly Sponsor:  Stephen Heins, The Practical Environmentalist

Historically, Heins has been a writer on subjects ranging from broadband and the US electricity grid, to environmental, energy and regulatory topics.

Heins is also a vocal advocate of the Internet of Everything, free trade, and global issues affecting the third of our planet that still lives in abject poverty.

Heins is troubled by the Carbon Tax, Cap & Trade, Carbon Offsets and Carbon Credits, because he questions their efficacy in solving the climate problem, are too gamable by rent seekers, and are fraught with unreliable accounting.

Heins worries that climate and other environmental reporting in the US and Europe has become too politicized, ignores the essential role carbon-based energy continues to play in the lives of billions, demonizes the promise and practicality of Nuclear Energy and cheerleads for renewable energy sources that cannot solve the real world problems of scarcity and poverty.

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Weekly Sponsor:  Great American Mining Co

Great American Mining monetizes wasted, stranded and undervalued gas throughout the oil and gas industry by using it as a power generation source for bitcoin mining. They bring the market and our expertise to the molecule. Our solutions make producers more efficient and profitable while helping to reduce flaring and venting throughout the oil and gas value chain.

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Interview Line Sponsor:  ESG University

Studio Email and Inbox Sponsor: To Be Announced


Featured Music:  Alma Cook


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