Offshoring Pathways is an installation that contains saltpetre diluted in water, with positively and negatively electrified copper wires depticting the maritime routes between Europe and what is today Chile. As the electrolysis process begins and the water starts evaporating, an aerial image slowly appears in the pool during the exhibition time. Copper electrons are absorbed and released, colouring the ocean representation with blue-green, while the continent area is transparent due to the reduction process, thus taking the colour from the background pool. Slow changes due to water evaporation and oxidizing copper morph the crystal drawing according to the different configurations of its elements.

This piece includes a small sculptural wind turbine, in order to provide the required electricity and the poetic connection with the sailing motion. This wind turbine is installed either close to a ventilation system inside the exhibiting space, or fixed outside under air-current conditions. As an option, the energy would be stored in a 12v battery. This turbine has been produced in collaboration with Lab:Present, at the Technische Universität-Berlin and printed in 3D by BigRep Studios.

This is piece that, through a chemical method and a crystallisation process, renders the energy configuration of the saltpetre zeitgeist: the sea-spray oxidation, the ripples left on the ocean surface by the wind vessels wake, the wind force over the ocean, the power of the sodium nitrate chemical bonds between science, warfare and agriculture, and the importance that these elements have had since the 19th century.

Technical assistance: Michele Galletti and Carlo Crovato

For process documentation video, please click here

Exhibited at:
– 2014, Caliche Winds solo show, El Museo de Los Sures, New York, USA
– 2017, CNB Contemporánea as part of BIENAL SUR, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Written about by:
– 2014, Michele Galletti, Caliche Winds exhibition text, view PDF