Adaptation 2012
Johnson County Public Works Facility--Olathe, Kansas
Stainless Steel tube and plate, hydraulics, computer processor, switches, paint, steel rod, bushings, sensors
Click Here: Artist Interview by KCUR: Kansas City NPR affliate

Click Here: Artist Profile--Johnson County Arts Council

Adaptation is a kinetic public art piece that works to mimic the construction machinery that public works employees use on a daily basis as an extension of their own physical bodies.  Structure is an abstraction of a bicep, forearm and hand.  Adaptation completes an entire cycle of opening up to completely open, back to close in approximately one hour.  Historically the facility resides within what was the foot print of a strip mine.  During my process of dialoguing with the public works employees and supervisor I learned that the workers spoke of wanting to ascend out of the pit into the community to do their work.  On the tips of each "finger" are a series of "bird-like" abstractions that appear to take off in a V-formation of flight when the arm and hand is fully extended open.  This reflects the team-like effort that these workers put in on a daily basis.  Every day these workers "adapt" themselves to any given job on any given day given a variety of environmental conditions in the elements.  I wanted to honor the thankless job that these workers perform day in and day out on the Public works campus and out in the field.  As you drive down into the lower elevations of the pit you will be able to witness the kinetic pieces one of many countless positiions.  The workers will be welcomed by the artwork as they come and go on a daily basis.