ANDY WEBSTER
Solar Panel, Electric Fans, 12v Batteries, Timer switches, welded Oxford fabric [dimensions 12m x 1.8m x 0.5m]
Solar Panel, Electric Fans, 12v Batteries, Timer switches, welded Oxford fabric [dimensions 12m x 1.8m x 0.5m]
INFLATE DEFLATE is a site-responsive sculptural installation consisting of eleven inflatable letters made from Oxford fabric, measuring 12m x 1.8m x 0.5m. The work operates on a cyclical system where solar panels charge 12V batteries that power electric fans controlled by timer switches. When the batteries are sufficiently charged, the fans activate to inflate the letters, temporarily giving the sculpture form. As the batteries deplete, the fans shut off, causing the work to collapse into a formless mass.
The piece deliberately employs unreliable technology and unsustainable materials to create a commentary on failure, expectations, and environmental contradictions. Its intermittent functionality - spending most of its time in a deflated state with only brief moments of inflation - serves as both a physical manifestation of systemic inadequacies and a critique of sustainable design practices.
The work was developed with support from the Ruskin Gallery at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK.