'Carbon Flux' sculptures at Turraun wetlands
Carbon Flux was a temporary site-specific sculptural installation created in response to the shifting nature of the regenerated peat bogs in the Irish Midlands. The sculptures were installed in 2017 and remained in place for a year or so.
Carbon Flux was made as part of the ‘Places of Holes’ project organised by Pollagh Heritage Group. The group worked with artist Rachael Champion on research and community engagement to address the shifting nature of regenerated bogs in the Irish Midlands.
Turraun was the first Irish bog to produce peat for energy on an industrial scale and one of the first industrialised bogs to be rewetted for conservation. Carbon Flux took inspiration from the history of industrialised peat extraction and the current role of climate science in these remarkable landscapes.
An event was held in Pollagh in November 2017 featuring talks on climate science, conservation and contemporary art in the bog.
About the sculptures
The art work comprised of seven domed cylinders, varying in size and shades of Bord na Móna yellow, clad in corrugated iron, a material commonly used in the vernacular architecture of a working peat bog. Imagery of microscopic biological life found in the peatlands adorned the interior spaces of the cylinders, bringing attention to the invaluable contribution these unseen algae play in the carbon cycle. The shape and forms of the sculptures were derived from the chamber-system method of manually collecting greenhouse gas emission data.
Carbon Flux was made by Rachael Champion in collaboration with Pollagh Heritage Community Group with funding from Creative Ireland – Offaly Community Grant, and STEP Travel Grants, European Cultural Foundation.
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