The Arc of Energy is envisioned as a portal to the future. Charlotte is on an upward trajectory. If the age of energy is truly upon us, can we make a statement that transcends dialog and description and creates a lasting image marking this new era for Charlotte much the same way the Eiffel Tower ushered in the dawn of the new age of industrial engineering. And, like the Eiffel Tower, conveyed in three-dimensional form, that there were no limits to man’s ingenuity.
Imagine the following:
Delineating energy at all levels – visual, verbal, functional and operational
Creating a story around energy and how it is transforming Charlotte and the region
Develop a multi-level awareness campaign that is educational and fun; interactive and informative
Brand the concept
Forge a physical manifestation of energy into a three-dimensional form
I believe we can capture the spirit and motion of this exciting time, embodied in a hyper-kinetic portal into the city on S. Tryon Street, named the Arc of Energy. This sculpture would manifest the avant-garde idea of a free form plastic invention utilizing contemporary materials. Reprocessed steel, translucent polypropylene manufactured entirely from recycled material, integral/flexible solar cells applied to the sculpture’s surface, an interior powered entirely by LED’s and linear polyhedrons attached to the surface producing a continuous spectrum of visible color from every viewing angle.
Realizing this concept requires a bit of imagination as it is a rather bold and audacious flight of fantasy. It also requires out-of-the-box thinking, educational components and a larger context of discussion and dialog in order to measure appreciation and understanding of such a project. The idea also requires a kind of trust intrinsic to the democratic process, which presumes that a body of people, our community, are fundamentally good willed and that goodwill can see beyond the long and short term goals and lead to a true expression and level of enthusiasm and energy that builds on consensus. As John Ruskin so aptly surmised, “Art, and with art, imagination, establishes the true potential of civilized man.”