The structure stands alone, playing a delicate melody for nature.
(Turn on sound.)
The tidal sculpture KRAFT is driven by the pulse of the sea – the eternal ebb and flow of the tides.
Video: Johannes Eggen
The sculpture does not use electricity. Nor does it generate electricity. All of its energy comes from the rotation of the paddle wheel.
The art of preventing climate collapse
With the ebb and flow of the tides as its engine, Professor Øyvind Brandtsegg wants to inspire the country's politicians to generate local energy – and give back to nature as much as we take out.
By Anne Sliper Midling - Published ??/??/2022
In August, Norway's most powerful politicians gathered in the city of Arendal. This summer, heat waves and forest fires ravaged Europe. The climate crisis is here.
Photo: Mona Hauglid
“As the situation stands now, the world is headed towards a complete collapse. Market forces stand in the way of a truly sustainable transition to greener technologies. An example of how distorted things can be is the electrification of the continental shelf.
We’re using electricity to produce fossil fuels, where the fuel consumption to do this creates more CO2 than the savings generated by electrifying production. The calculation doesn’t add up.
I want the sculpture to inspire us to create local energy, and give back as much to nature as we extract, says Øyvind Brandtsegg, an artist and professor of music technology at NTNU.”
Photo: Scanpix
Brandtsegg is a composer and performer who works with computer improvisation and sound installations. The water wheel sculpture is the first time he has created a work without electricity. (Turn on sound.)
The kinetic sculpture is a paddle wheel with seven guitars made out of driftwood logs. The sound is created by a paddle hitting the strings as the wheel rotates.
Paddlewheels have been used as a power source for thousands of years.
Photo: Scanpix
The sculpture uses the tides as its engine. The rhythm is created by the moon's gravitation and its rotation around the Earth.
The ebb and flow of the tides set enormous forces in motion. Gigantic masses of water move and create a respiratory rhythm.
Video: Storyblocks.com
When the sculpture was first launched, the tidal forces were so strong that the sculpture was smashed.
“Luckily, we found all the pieces and were able to put it back together. The collapse added an extra dimension to the work. We were able to account for all the pieces,” says Brandtsegg.
KRAFT is a collaboration between Brandtsegg and the artist Erlend Leirdal.
He has been a strong voice in the fight against wind power in areas such as Fosen and Aure.
The sculpture was created in close collaboration with local craftsman Åge Sivertsen.
Photo: Charlotte Lovise Bolkan
All photos and video without credit: Øyvind Brandtsegg
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