Call for information:
I am planning a residency in partnership with Diverseworks in Houston, Texas for two weeks in 2011. I’ll be gathering research and conversation on a rather open-ended inquiry into
depleted oil fields,
pump jacks,
picturesque big and small oil operations,
migratory flyways,
invasive species,
effects of climate change,
and
what might spring to mind as elements of local ecosystems, intersections of nature/culture, what makes Texas Texas.
The more these things overlap in real space, the better but right now I am keeping this open.
Visual stunners welcome :)
Non-sequitors also welcome.
*Also, any movie references that feature classic “oil” landscapes would be appreciated –
The ultimate results of this research will be an animated landscape installation as part of the Mesocosm series (here’s the first one based on Northern England) and hopefully a participatory art project.
Please post comments here.
Thanks so much!
“Giant” is my favorite Texas film, James Dean goes crazy in the oil fields.
I’ve met a French girl who decided to move to TX after watching “Paris, TX” with Harry Dean Stanton in it.
Hi Marina –
I hope this is not too late for your brainstorm.
Wanted you to be aware of an interesting twist on the “oil scene” here in Texas. Texas is the site of some of the most aggressive attempts to put the carbon back where it came from – underground in the oil reservoirs. There was a good article on this idea of carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) or geological carbon sequestration (GCS), in the Texas Tribune today: http://www.texastribune.org/texas-energy/energy/aided-by-oil-carbon-projects-advance-in-texas/
Also this site: http://www.storeco2now.com has some good explanation and images (though some are from test sites in MS not TX.) It used to have a terrific photo of an injector (just a red pipe coming out of the ground really) surrounded by cows wandering a field with a caption: This is what injecting 1,000,000 tons of CO2 underground looks like. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find it when I just checked.
In terms of invasive species – around Austin anyway – the kudzu is horrendous.
The Barton Springs salamander is a lovely protected species that lives in a tiny spring by the most popular swimming hole & viewed by video camera.
There are also very fragile ecosystems on the top of Enchanted Rock near Llano – puddles where fairy shrimp only awake when it rains.
Let me know if I can help in any way.
Wishing you the best!
Juli