A Monument to Neglegence: In Memory of the Kyoto Protocol

By nature humans are negligent beings. From leaving a dog in a car on a hot day for a little too long to choosing to forget about bigger problems in our world as a result of a stressful job or too much school work. It seems as though humans turn to neglect for comfort from our own stress and guilt. Understandable when thinking about genocide, deforestation and the death of hundreds of cute cuddly polar bears can turn even the most optimistic person into a 'glass-half-empty' type guy.  This, however, doesn't mean that the dog in hot car gets water any time sooner. The planet is in steady decline and if we aren't going to be around to remember where we went wrong, I propose we create a memorial to where we might be very soon.

Global warming is an issue we are all too familiar with. Does it exist? Some scientist say it doesn't? well then let's just forget...The Kyoto Protocol is a perfect example. On Dec. 11, 1997 the United Nations brought forth the Kyoto Protocol (named from the city in Japan where the campaign was first conceived) as a means to recognize that humans are doing things that contribute to the effects of global warming. This bill targeted 37 industrialized countries by limiting carbon emissions in the Earth's atmosphere. The US however, did not pass this bill in when it was proposed in 1997. When the bill came around again in 2001, it was again denied. There is still debate as to what the real reason for not signing the bill twice, however former president George W. Bush claimed that while global warming issues are important, but our nation’s energy shortage and economy are more important. The US is still  leading the race in the most Co2 emissions of any other country. While alterior motives are obvious in the situation, if this isn't a prime example of negligence then I don't know what is. This is why I chose to use the Kyoto protocol as a vessel in order to make this monument take flight since using the term "global warming" has lost any emotion response at this point.

The physical representation of my monument uses many different elements; The act of negligence slowly melting our planet and the effects that Global warming has on our bodies.  This monument will be abstracted human forms slowly and silently burning. The forms will be made of human fat so it as if they are not only forms but human candles that slowly melt away. The forms will also be floating to give the impression of ghosts. It will be as if this event (global warming) has already happened and we did nothing to stop it so now we are haunted by our past. I chose to put this monument in Buena Vista park in front of the main fountain. This park is a very transition place for many people to relax and enjoy the sun after or in between busy work shifts. It is a place to forget about the real world and soak up the suns rays. The perfect place to reflect on how we use our down time. Also the contrast between the fiery forms against a  flowing waterfall will give the impression that the solution is so close, yet none of the forms are willing to move into the cooling water. Furthermore, if this flaming sculpture was in the middle of a fountain, it would be much less accessible, eliminating the temptation to play with fire.  The method in which I would use to make these forms burn for centuries as well as float is what makes this monument improbable, and although I still haven't figured out the logistics of how to make something burn and then rejuvenate itself, through the use of a strong enough magnet, there would be potential to make these forms float. These magnets would have to be electrically charged in order to ensure that they could hold up the forms with atleast three feet between them and the water, which would mean more money to power the monument, however, after construction and maintenance, it seems as though this project would be pretty expensive anyways.  My main goal for this monument is to capture the silence found in both monuments as well as the silence of neglect in a way that triggers an emotion response from a issue that seems to have lost relevance in our daily lives.