Drop Zone
Wednesday, 4 January 2012
Troy Innocent, Joel Collins, Indae Hwang, Yun Tae Nam 2011
Dimensions: approx. 5 x 11 metre area; height variable
Medium: Aquaplate water tanks, laser cut icons, aluminium poles, plastic drum, anemometers, collected water
Commissioned as part of the City of Yarra’s Environmental Public Art Project. Drop Zone is located on Swan St in the Melbourne suburb of Richmond.
The next world war will be fought over water.
Many environmental reports discuss the increasing scarcity of fresh water around the world. In 1955 the UN had three countries listed as ‘Water Scarce’, by 1990 thirteen additional countries were on the list, and by 2025 a further ten are expected to join those. These locations are all UN recognised flashpoints for potential conflict over water resources.
This artwork envisions a future for Australia where the impact of decreasing water availability has had a more dramatic effect than any of the predictions. The shortage is so severe that military-like water ‘drop zones’, constructed of modified rainfall storage tanks have been established across the public parks of the City of Yarra for access on a first come, first serve basis. However, as the water is only replenished through rain catchment the tanks may only offer infrequent relief for the City of Yarra residents, standing as hollow reminders of the effects of inaction on the shaping of sustainable national water use.
The water tank is becoming a contemporary symbol of the Australian household, much like the Hills Hoist clothesline once was. The work incorporates this identity, using ready-made water tanks arranged on a site marked out as a resource drop zone much like those seen in realtime strategy games. Situated within the tanks are small totemic sculptures that float on top of the water within the tank. When the water level is low they are only partially visible; when the water level is high they rise appearing to bloom from the top of the tank. This metaphorical blooming references the appearance of flowers after desert rains; the connection between water and life.