Circulator

In the lobby of Brightwater's Environmental Education Center, this seven-screen audio and video installation follows a transformative journey of water from its source, through several phases of treatment, and finally to its return to the ocean.

The piece uses five rectangular screens mounted on the wall, one circular screen mounted below them, and another circular screen embedded in the floor like a porthole. From screen to screen, elements of the natural and human-made worlds combine, dissipate, and reform. Dreamlike images morph from one to the next: a pond becomes a tank and a house offers shelter from a wet world, then becomes a bit of detritus flowing from storm drains. Like water and the ecosystem itself, each image manifests as several things at once.

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Circulator inspires a fresh look at everyday experiences, sometimes bringing into focus unexpected connections. Jim Blashfield, a filmmaker and media artist known for his short films and music videos, calls the piece "a poetic interpretation of the water cycle," created to help visitors understand and appreciate the environmental benefits of the treatment technology at Brightwater.