The work in this show is part of a new series I’m doing called Exposing the Core, which focuses in on the dilemma we are faced with about the disposal of Nuclear Fuel Rods .
These spent rods, cores, and other parts, though not useful anymore for generating power, are still very lethal, and can also be used for terrorist weapons such as “dirty bombs.” They are generally stored at the power plant in which they were used, sitting in large pools, waiting for governments to make decisions on their disposal. In the United States, the responsibility for their protection lies with the Utility Company that own the reactor, and the guards are usually subbed out and in small numbers. That is in the United States. Who knows what happens in places such as India, Pakistan, Russia, etc.
Many suggestions have been made over the years for ridding these utilities of their waste radioactive products. I for one support burying them underground deep inside a mountain in Nevada, because there it would at least be away from human centers and guarded by the military. I also am intrigued by the suggestion to somehow encase them in a heavily leaded glass. Or we could make art with them. However, the present situation, leave them where they are, is the worst plan available.
Port of Call, Pearl Harbor, is representative of the Navy’s use of nuclear reactors to power aircraft carriers, submarines, and ice breakers. The cores of these vessels are good for only one and a half years, and there are probably thousands of spent cores at bases around the U.S. Hawaii, which prohibits nuclear reactors within it’s borders, has to allow the entrance of these ships into Pearl Harbor, which turns it into a nuclear state.
The patterns surrounding the cores are most identified with Hawaiian shirts, tattoos, and leis. These are the top souvenir item purchased by sailors on shore leave while visiting the Islands. The numbers and lettering are my designation for the cores themselves; USSE being for the Enterprise, the first Nuclear Aircraft Carrier in our fleet. It is still in commission after 43 year, and houses 8 nuclear reactors producing 250,000 horsepower.
Bismillah
The word is the first in the Koran, and has several translations that mean something to the effect that “in the name of God.” A much less militant expression than the popular Allah Akbar, which means “God is greater than everything.” I made this work to show the duality of Islam, where the simple word is twisted and abused by religious fanatics to fit their own political agendas.
The writing on the “reactor,” for me the ultimate symbol of power, says “bismillah ir rahman ir rahim.” “In the name of God, most gracious, most compassionate.” It is written in both the proper right to left fashion, representing the good and proper use of the phrase, and also in mirrored image, showing how easily words can be changed, and misrepresented.
Bimillah- Hydrostone, copper, lead, glass. 30.25” H x 13.50”L x 8.0”D.
Nuclear Jesus
At the end of the Presidential Election of 2004, I saw the Rev. Jerry Farwell touring the TV talk show circuit, boasting how the Christian Coalition and the Moral Majority control the nominating process of the Republican Party, and that no one who isn’t Pro-Life and Anti-Gay would ever be nominated as the Parties candidate for President. I though those were exceptional arrogant and boastful words from someone who, as a minister, is suppose to preach love and forgiveness, two traits he obviously doesn’t possess. Furthermore, I totally believe his statement as to the power of the religious right within the National Republican Party.
So I decided right there and then, that that man needed his own cross to bear, and that it needed to be a symbol that was extremely powerful: A Nuclear Cross.
Nuclear Jesus- Hydrostone, steel, copper, lead, glass. 60”x 48”x 5.5”.
Crates
The works focuses in on the dilemma we are faced with about the disposal of Nuclear Fuel Rods and the proliferation of nuclear material. These spent rods, cores, and other parts, though not useful anymore for generating power, are still very lethal, and can also be used for terrorist weapons such as “dirty bombs.” They are generally stored at the power plant in which they were used, sitting in large pools, waiting for governments to make decisions on their disposal. In the United States, the responsibility for their protection lies with the Utility Company that own the reactor, and the guards are usually subbed out and in small numbers. That is in the United States. Who knows what happens in places such as India, Pakistan, Russia, etc. Many suggestions have been made over the years for ridding these utilities of their waste radioactive products. I for one support burying them underground deep inside a mountain in Nevada, because there it would at least be away from human centers and guarded by the military. I also am intrigued by the suggestion to somehow encase them in a heavily leaded glass. Or we could make art with them. However, the present situation, leave them where they are, is the worst plan available.
These particular works are about Nuclear Proliferation, and the feasibility of the importation of “dirty bombs” into the United States disguised as ornamental boxes. They represent the two greatest threats to us right now, North Korea’s Kim Jong-Il, “the Dear Leader,” and Islamic Extremists, who acquired nuclear secrets from Pakistani scientist Abdul Qudeer Khan.
Proliferation 1: The Dear Leader----
(Front side)- “An uncompromising judgment for the US imperialists and their puppets.”
(Backside)- “A merciless blow to US Imperialism.”
(Ends)- The Red Star of the Peoples Army
(Lid)- The international symbol for Radiation
Proliferation 2: Abdul Qudeer Khan----
(Front side)- “Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.”
(Backside)- “Deaf, dumb, blind; they shall never return.”
(Ends)- The Islamic symbol of Mohammad.
(Lid)- The international symbol of Atomic Science.
Crates- Copper, lead, wood, glass, steel, brass. 49.5”x 13.5”x 13.5”.
Geoff Isles
Born: October 13, 1960
Education
1983-84- Penland School of Crafts, 2 Concentrations.
1979-83- Tulane University, B.A., Political Science.
Teaching Positions
1991-1999- Parson’s School of Design, Product Design, Glass.
1985-1999- New York Experimental Glass Workshop/ UrbanGlass.
Show’s Curated
2003- Am I Clear?, Friesen Gallery, Seattle, WA and
Sun Valley, ID.
2001- The Glass Canvas, Heller Gallery, New York, NY.
Book Involvement
2003- International Glass Art by Richard Yelle; Advisor and
Photo Editor. Wrote 2 Essays.
2000- Glass Art from UrbanGlass by Richard Yelle; Advisor.
Board Positions
1986- 2007 (on leave of absence)- UrbanGlass, New York, NY. Board of
Directors.
2002- Present- The Newcomb Art Gallery, Tulane University,
New Orleans, LA. Board of Advisors.
2007- Present- Museum of Glass, Tacoma, WA, Board of Trustees.
2008- Glass Art Society, Seattle, WA, Board of Directors.
Glass
2005- Robert Lehman Gallery, NY, NY. Nasty
2004- Friesen Gallery, Seattle, WA. Mode & Ceremony
1994- Heller Gallery, New York, NY. Glass America.
1986-1993- Bergdorf-Goodman, Tuxedo Water Glass line of
Glass.
Articles
1994- American Craft Magazine, Portfolio Section.
1985- New Work Magazine (now GLASS), Issue 23/24, p.30.