NYAB Event - Alexandre Dang “Dancing Solar Flowers”

Alexandre Dang “Dancing Solar Flowers”

John Jay College

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John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York, NYC proudly presents Dancing Solar Flowers an exhibition of Alexandre Dang’s ongoing environmental installation as part of John Jay’s 50th Anniversary celebration.

Dang’s scientific educational background informs his Dancing Flowers that are light driven installations raising awareness about sustainable ecological developments. These kinetic paper flowers use solar energy as their power to move, and as they appear applied to the glass facing the Jay Walk, they not only echo the natural backdrop outside thus bringing the outdoor environment indoors, but they also bring joy to everyone viewing them.

Video documentations of Dang’s installations undertaken for museums around the world show the people’s reactions upon seeing them. As the flowers move because of the solar energy powering them viewers can’t help but begin swaying along. The solar flowers are composed of a motor and a solar cell that upon collecting sunlight turns it into electricity that drives the motor making the flower move only stopping at night.

Dang’s environmental commitment is evident in his pedagogical aspects of his art that embraces educating young people about eco-friendly solar sources, renewable energy, and solar electrification. The latter are especially important to underdeveloped countries in great need of renewable sources of eco-friendly energy. As Dang posits in his mission statement, this is especially important in order to support solar electrification of schools in these developing countries.

In spite of the fact that solar energy holds great potential for humanity, and produce 10000 times more energy than our planet needs according to Dang, it remains inaccessible to us. In order to bring attention to the subject Dang created kinetic pieces that refer to the high efficient energy of this natural source. His kinetic flowers move even when little light is present as demonstrated by his flower installations. Dang’s workshops are conducted as part of his installations engaging students in flower-making not only so that they will attain a sense of ownership of the artworks, but also to understand the sustainable energy behind their movement.

Dang has shown at such prestigious international venues as the Belgian and European Pavilion of World Expo Shanghai 2010, the Palais des Beaux Arts (Bozar – Center for fine Arts) in Brussels, the Singapore Art Museum, the Musée de Plein Air du Sart -Tilman (Liège), the International Exhibitions of the United Nations on Climate Change (2008 Poznán, Copenhagen 2009, Cancún, 2010), the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken (Brussels), the Royal Palace of Brussels, the European Commission (Brussels), the European Parliament (Brussels, Luxembourg, Strasbourg), the Council of the European Union (Brussels) and many more.