Byron’s Bottled Water Operas
Sunday, October 12th, 2008
Kidnapping Water
I was in Seattle last week visiting On Ensemble’s good friend, Byron Au Yong. I got a chance to see his art installation at the Jack Straw Media Gallery. It’s a dark room with a ring-shaped light sculpture in the middle. Tracks from Byron’s Bottled Water Operas play through a four-channel sound system. The effect is really great. If you’re in the Seattle area, and need a moment to step out of the ordinary, drop in to sit for a while in the dark room.
Although the installation doesn’t take such an explicit stance on the issue, I for one used my time there to think about how silly bottled water is. I am an avid proponent of tap water. Here are a few additional links about the downside of bottled water:
- Wikipedia article
- USA Today – Bottled Water, Environmental Concerns
- LA Times – Bottled vs Tap