Glenn Kaino - Tank from Grand Arts on Vimeo.
Glenn Kaino USA, b. 1972
Tanks, 2014
Corals, resin, rocks, water tanks, aquariums system management, and lights
61 5/8 x 61 5/8 x 33 1/2 in
156.5 x 156.5 x 85.1 cm
Each
156.5 x 156.5 x 85.1 cm
Each
4671
Further images
Tank consists of a series of aquariums populated by multi-colored coral, each species vying for superiority over the other. The title of this work is multivalent, referring simultaneously to the...
Tank consists of a series of aquariums populated by multi-colored coral, each species vying for superiority over the other. The title of this work is multivalent, referring simultaneously to the aquariums, and to the translucent resin cast fragments of a decommissioned M-60 Patton military tank that construct the architecture within each of these. The cast resin pieces allude to the practice of sinking decommissioned tanks and other military apparatus in order to construct artificial coral reefs, thus rendering these tools of destruction into life-sustaining habitats. The vibrant colors that the viewers encounter in these tanks are not, however, entirely peaceful; as the polyps grow, they encroach on each other’s boundaries, thereby creating new visual demarcations of color and density while simultaneously exposing a slow motion war for survival. Tools of large-scale displacement are reclaimed by much smaller organisms only to become a microcosmic reflection of the colonialism they once facilitated. Produced in conjunction with Grand Arts Kansas City.
Provenance
Kavi Gupta Gallery, 2015Exhibitions
Contemporary Arts Center New Orleans as part of “Prospect.3: Notes for Now,” 2015Grand Arts, Kansas City, 2014