I will, someday, dedicate my life to this - building fish ladders for every dam up the Columbia River, to permit the Salmon to once again migrate its mighty length.
Roll on Columbia, Swim on Salmon, up to the headwaters of your ancestors.
The builders of 1930 couldn't figure it out. We can.
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<<<<UPDATE>>>>>
We're making plans to get this project underway in 2026. We're going to start with a prototype Salmonid sculpture - I'll be making an armature, and Angela will be working to set up an entity, and plans for community involvement in cladding the armature. We're excited to get this going, and look forward to many years of adventures actualizing the dream!
Project Summary
The Cycle of Life is a project to develop solutions to the barriers humans have created in the life cycles of our animal family. In the short term, an interactive exploration of the life cycles of Trout. In the long term, working fish ladders, for all fish species, on the entire Columbia river system.
The lead artist for this piece is Angela Elise Stober, and I'll be playing the role of engineering-logistics-project management, which is how I envision applying my skillset in the most effective way. We'll be inviting collaboration with many other artists, communities, volunteers - as many people as we can. This piece is so much bigger than any one person.
Physical Description
This piece is very much in development. In the current conception:
A mobile art installation, for traveling the Columbia waterways, and engaging communities.
It will be circular in plan, with salmonid fish sculptures, at various life stages. The fish would vary in size (from 2' x 20'), reflective of their stage in life.
There are many opportunities to engage other artists, and the piece will evolve. For example, in the current conception, the ceramic panels for the fish would be manifested in outreach programs, involving people in many stages of life, for the different fish - kids for the fry, elders for the elders. And so on. There is much to do!
Physical Dimensions : 30' diameter, 10' tall.
What is the philosophy of the piece?
Basically, that fish lives are important, equally as important as any other. And by building a connection between fish and humans, we can integrate their perspective into dialogues about our common futures.
We're starting with a piece about the life cycles of trout, as charismatic, but less celebrated members of the Salmonid family. There are many fish in the rivers, and they'll be using the ladders too, but Angela's chosen trout as our representative species.
By making connections between our human lives and those of the Trout, the piece will build optimism and enthusiasm for human agency in the creation of a better world for all. By which I mean, break through pessimism, old barriers, and embrace the potential for a brighter future. We can do this.
This piece is far larger than us, and will involve extensive community outreach. We have a very creative community here in the Columbia watershed, and there are many opportunities for involvement, and we intend to make the most of this opportunity. And that outreach and involvement is an important part of the piece, as well.
The project is in development, and I'll post updates as they become available.
What makes the end goal actually possible is that people have been hard at work figuring these out. They are QUITE COMPLEX. But the information is out there - a scan through https://media.fisheries.noaa.gov/2023-02/anadromous-salmonid-passage-design.pdf ought to convince you that this is entirely possible. There are engineers, biologists, heavy thinkers ready to get to work - not to mention contractors and heavy equipment and concrete teams - we just need to secure the resources to make this happen. And I know we can.
This project makes sense on so many levels - both economic and spiritual - and the opportunity to change the world for the better is fully possible. Let's do it!
CONTAINER DOMINOES
100' diameter rolling Wheel, powered by people walking inside.